


The Orion Chronicles: Volume 2

by ChristaWolf, LonghaulHoofer



Series: The Orion Chronicles [2]
Category: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 23:03:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 43,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16168598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChristaWolf/pseuds/ChristaWolf, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LonghaulHoofer/pseuds/LonghaulHoofer
Summary: Now working for the Equestrian Secret Service, Orion's missions take him to far-away locales, solving fascinating mysteries.





	1. The Equality Paradox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven and Orion are sent to an unnamed village led by a mare named Starlight Glimmer, where everypony is equal. Orion, however, quickly realizes there's more to Starlight than she lets on. Based on the Season 5 premiere, "The Cutie Map."

Orion proceeds down the door-filled corridor leading to the phone booth with Raven at his side, wearing a white shirt, purple-grey vest, and a bowtie. "Thank goodness that business with Tirek is over with... I hope he stays in Tartarus where he belongs."

"I'm just glad you made it home safe that time," Raven says, matching Orion's pace.  "So, where is it that we're going?  I don't remember seeing this part of the house ... or it being built ... or even knowing this existed." She looks around as they travel the corridor, jumping occasionally as a heavy door closes behind the pair.

“That's because it's the headquarters for the Royal Secret Service... The one Luna assigned me to, remember?" He nods. "It was built in secret, and of course I couldn't tell you. Until now, that is. A matter has arisen that will require not only my strength and expertise, but yours as well. Are you ready?"

Raven nods. ”As ready as I'm ever gonna be, of course.  Although I don't know what 'expertise' I could possibly have to offer, but it's still nice to be asked."  The two stop in front of the phone booth.  "Okay, so now what do we do?  Call for a taxi?"

"Better!" He steps in and dials a number with his magic, then... The floor drops out from under him, and he falls onto a waiting cushion.

Raven screams as the floor gives way, only to land safely on a soft cushion at the bottom of the hole.  Shakily returning to her hooves, she dusts herself off with her tail and follows Orion to the main room.  "Ah, punctual as always, I see!  And I see you convinced the missus to join you as well.  Splendid!" calls a voice from within.

Orion helps Raven off the mattress and dusts her off, "Raven, this is J! J, this is Raven!" He introduces. He smiles again, "Now, do you have any more details about what's happening?" 

J shook his head.  "Nothing more than what you've already been told.  You are being sent to investigate something happening in this region," he said, indicating with his hoof.  He pointed to a range of mountains, two lines of which were perfectly parallel.  "The mystery lays within this valley.  Selene isn't able to scry with her magic, so we need to send in the ground units, namely, you two." 

Orion raises an eyebrow when he spots the parallel lines, "...Surely that must be pony-made... how else can two perfectly equal lines like that exist?" He frowns a little. "Do we know anything at all? Population density? Identity of the leader?"

J again shakes his head.  "We're totally blind on this one.  For this instance, you two have been vested by power of the Crown to use whatever methods are necessary to determine exactly what is going on and, if potential trouble exists, solve said problems before they become a threat to Equestria as a whole.  Better get some rest, your train leaves first thing in the morning.  No fancy cover story needed, you're simply two ponies who stumbled upon this area.  Best of luck to you both."  J pushes two train tickets over to Orion and Raven.

"I'm guessing no gadgets either," Orion says with a sigh, taking the two tickets with his magic, "Thank you J, we'll be sure to do our best." He and Raven make their way back upstairs.

* * *

The next day, the train pulls into the station in the mountain range, and lets off two ponies, a grey unicorn stallion and a purple earth pony mare, wearing traveling cloaks. Both of them set off and come toward the settlement itself, two parallel rows of equally proportional buildings. Orion sighs. "This must be the place... I can only imagine what it's called.'

"I have no idea, but something about this place creeps me out," Raven said, huddling closer to Orion.  Pony after pony turned to look at the newcomers, each one wearing a big smile on their face.  Their flanks all bore the same cutie mark: two parallel lines of equal length and distance.  "Orion, do you know of a whole town of ponies with the same cutie mark?" she asked quietly.

"Welcome," each pony said as the two passed by, eventually stopping near what could be called the center of town. 

Raven gulps. ”Maybe I read too much science fiction, Orion, but I’m tempted to ask one of them when Landru is going to start Festival.” 

Orion shakes his head repeatedly. “It's impossible... no two ponies have the same cutie mark! So why am I seeing something that shouldn't exist?" He wrinkles his brow. "Maybe we're in the Village... which means one of us must be Number Six."

Two stallions approach the two.  “Welcome!  What brings you to town?” asks the white-colored stallion.  The grayish-blue pony next to him kept smiling.

Orion straightens his bowtie, "Well, I... I am Virgo Shade, and this is my wife, Hummingbird Tenebrae," he says finally, using fake names for safety reasons, "And we're here on our honeymoon! What a charming little town you have, good sirs!"

The white stallion smiles.  “I see. Well, all are welcome here in our little village. My name is Double Diamond, and this is Party Favor,” he says, indicating the grayish-blue stallion.  Double Diamond glances at Orion’s and Raven’s flanks.  “And you both have your own unique cutie marks.”

"I realize this might be unnerving," Orion replies. "Please do not be alarmed. I excel at time-manipulation based magic, and Hummingbird here is a moderately famous stage magician."

The two stallions look at one another, then back to Orion and Raven.  “And you two don’t have any conflict between yourselves because of that?” Party Favor asked.

Orion just looks confused, "No! We accept, embrace, and encourage the other's talents! Why do you think ponies get married, among other reasons?" He smiles at Raven. "Isn't that right, love?"

Raven nods, smiling back.  “One of many reasons, yes.”

Double Diamond nods, his smile never failing.  “Perhaps you’d like to speak to our founder, Starlight Glimmer.  Come with us.”  They lead Orion and Raven down the road to the only single house in town.  Knocking on the door, Double Diamond calls out, “Starlight, we have some new visitors.”  He pushes the door open and steps inside, Party Favor encouraging Orion and Raven to follow.

Orion waves politely, "Good morning! I am Virgo Shade and this is my wife, Hummingbird Tenebrae. It's very nice to meet you, ma'am."

Starlight approaches, smiling warmly.  “ Welcome! I'm so pleased to have you here.  We're happy to have anypony who wants to experience true friendship for the first time.”

Orion stares.. "...What is this true friendship of which you speak?"

Starlight continues, “True friendship exists here because everypony is equal to everypony else.  Around here, we don't flaunt our special talents because we don't have any special talents to flaunt.  That's what's so unique about our village, you see.”  She walks to the door.  “Perhaps it would be easier to understand if I gave you a tour of the village!”

Orion starts to look very worried and perturbed. "Yes, a tour sounds lovely!"

Starlight walks into the town square, calling out to the ponies gathered around.  “Heads high, ponies! Marching proud!” A whistle blows.  “All together now! Every one of you! No pony left behind!”  

The entire town begins a well-rehearsed, goose-stepping musical number, the ending of which being meant to convince Orion and Raven to surrender their cutie marks and become one of them. Raven is stunned.  “Are you serious?  I would never give up my cutie mark!  This has to be some kind of joke.”

Orion frowns deeply. "That's just the trouble... I don't think it is."

A while later, the two ponies go over to a small bakery to talk things out. "I really hope they have tea here, maybe a scone..." Orion was saying. "I haven't eaten since the train."

“Me neither, and I’m starving.  Let’s hope this place is good, after what we’ve been through we can use a decent meal.” Raven watched as a grayish-violet unicorn wearing a tattered and dirty apron approached.  “Welcome!  My name is Sugar Belle. What can I bring you?  We have muffins...”   

The long silence was uncomfortable.  Raven finally speaks: “I ... guess two muffins, please.”  Sugar Belle nods and goes back inside the shop.

Orion leans in to talk, "Do you know what I noticed? Every pony here has pale, greyish fur. But not our friend Starlight. Everypony in town lives or works in one of two buildings, except for Starlight. Something is very wrong here, and I wish I knew what it was." He closes his eyes, "I just can't think... there must be some kind of giveaway, a tell, but my mind isn't working because this VILLAGE IS SO DULL!”

Raven pats Orion gently.  “It’s okay, love.  We’ll figure it out soon enough and then we’ll be on our way home again.”   Sugar Belle returns with two very bland-looking muffins and sets them down on the table.  “Forgive me,” she says, “but you both have different cutie marks and yet you both look like you’re completely in  love with each other.  I'm just having a hard time understanding. Different talents lead to different opinions, which lead to bitterness and misery. So... why aren't you bitter and...?”

Well, Sugar Belle, falling in love is a tricky thing... ponies do have differences, but in order for a marriage to be successful, those differences have to be accepted and embraced for what they are," Orion says. "Differences are not all bad."

Sugar Belle glances around, as if trying to process what she’s just been told.   “Well, I... hope you enjoy our little village!”  She starts back inside, but stops and in a hushed voice, says to Orion and Raven, “Come inside before you go! Meet me downstairs!”  She hurries back inside the shop.

“I’m no expert here, but I think we’re about to find out what’s going on,” Raven said quietly, nibbling at her muffin and spitting it out in disgust.  “So much for the glamorous life I thought you led,” she whispered.  She then dropped her muffin on the ground.  “Oh no, I seem to have dropped my muffin!  Come, Virgo, let us go inside and get another one,” she said in a very stilted tone.

"Glamorous? Oh please, that's only in Con Mane books," he whispers back. "What a travesty!" he says, collecting the muffin. "We shall indeed go inside and get another one!" And he walks in, acting as natural as possible.

Once inside, the two head for a stairway leading to the basement.  In the dim light once they reach bottom, they can see several ponies approaching them, one of which was Party Favor from earlier.  They all ooh and aah over Orion’s and Raven’s cutie marks.  “ I love your cutie mark!” Sugar Belle says to Raven.  “How can you be friends with different cutie marks? Don't you end up hating each other?” asks Night Glider, a pegasus.  “Oh, look at this one! This one's great too!” Party Favor says, looking at Orion’s mark.  “I'd love to have my special talent back even just for a day! Make something besides those disgusting muffins...” Sugar Belle says sadly.

"How do you even get those cutie marks?" Orion wonders. "It goes against everything I know about them!"

“The cutie unmarking is a beautiful experience! Starlight uses the Staff of Sameness to magically take them away and replace them with these,” Night Glider replied, proudly showing off her cutie mark ... which looked like everypony else’s in town.

Orion frowns. "...There's no such thing as a Staff of Sameness. I have a bachelor's degree in Equestrian history with an emphasis in mythology! No unicorn worth their salt would've invented such a device!"

“But it does exist, and it made us the ponies we are today.  Equal to each other, nopony better than anypony else,” Party Favor said.

“But some ponies are more equal than others," he adds in an undertone to Raven. "Right... is there a storage place for cutie marks?"

Night Glider nods.  "They're in the vault up in the caves. We can visit them any time we like to remind us of the heartache of a life with special talents."

"Then let's go now," Orion says, "Surely our Dear Leader won't mind."

Moments later, making their way up to the caves, Starlight Glimmer leads the way with Orion an Raven following along.  “I'm delighted you're interested in our cutie mark vault. We hope someday every pony in Equestria will make a pilgrimage here to our little village to have theirs removed too, and our message of  perfectly equal friendship can finally spread across the land.”  A little further up the path, Starlight stops before a natural entrance in the rock.  “Just through here!”  Leading Orion and Raven inside, she motions with her hoof.  “Behold! Our cutie mark vault!”  Cutie marks of every variety lined the wall of the cave, each contained in its own little square.  Two empty spots were visible.  In front of the wall was a strange staff, consisting of two points.  “And here is the Staff of Sameness. It was one of the great mage Meadowbrook's nine enchanted items. We are incredibly fortunate to have it here. This is the tool that allows us to free ourselves from our marks!”

"No it isn't," Orion says with a scowl. "Again, I have a bachelor's degree in Equestrian history. I know all about Meadowbrook, and I'm telling you now, she only had eight enchanted items, and the 'Staff of Sameness' wasn't on the list!" He narrows his eyes. "You're running a very suspicious operation here, Starlight Glimmer. And I'm going to get to the bottom of it if it's the last thing I do."

“You seem to be a very knowledgeable pony, Mister Virgo Shade,” Starlight said, the smile disappearing from her face.  “I'm curious – how did the subject of the vault come up?”  As she asks this, ponies approach from the darkness, surounding Orion and Raven.  Starlight holds the staff in her magic.

“Like I'm going to tell you," he growls, standing protectively beside Raven and adjusting his bowtie. "Spoilers!" And before she can make a move he fires a spell from his horn, an ice spell to freeze her.

Starlight dodges Orion’s spell and channels magic through the staff, surrounding Orion’s cutie mark, and forcefully removing it from his flanks, leaving a gray equals sign in its place.  Raven suffers a similar fate.  Starlight approached the two, who lay on the ground in the cave.  “Aw. I don't blame you for what you tried to do here today. You've spent your whole lives thinking those marks are a good thing.  Well, now you can spend the rest of your lives here with us! And we'll teach you just how much better life can be without your cutie marks!”

Orion groans painfully as his beloved pocketwatch disappears, and simply glares silently at Starlight.

* * *

A few hours later, Orion awakes to find himself in a small, poorly lit cabin with small windows and a locked door. He gets to his hooves, groaning. "What happened? Why do I feel like I got hit by a team of pegasus guards in full battle regalia?"

Raven groaned.  "That was even worse than ripping off a bandaid."  he opened an eye and looked around.  "How long do you think they'll keep us here?"

A loudspeaker overhead droned the same messages endlessly.  "Free yourself from your cutie mark.  Choose equality as your special talent. Difference is frustration. To excel is to fail. Be your best by never being your best. Conformity will set you free. Accept your limitations, and happiness will follow. You're no better than your friends."

“Probably until we decide to play at their little game," Orion says, when suddenly he noticed the loudspeaker, "Oh pipe down, I'm busy!" he yells, reflexively trying to use magic to shut it off, when... nothing happens. His eyes widen as he turns to look at his flank, now bedecked with an equals sign. "No magic... no spells... no anything!"

"Okay, there's one reeason nopony has tried to leave, much less get their cutie marks back.  And yet, Starlight has full magical capabilities ... I don't get it."  Raven looked out the window and was greeted by several smiling faces.  "Any semblance of a plan, oh international pony of mystery?" Raven asked.

"No, because usually my plans involve magic," he says, pacing now. "Which she has stolen from me!" He looks across the room at the earth mare. "You're the queen of mis-direction and subterfuge in this family. Any thoughts?"

"I do have something of a plan, I just don't know if it will work," Raven said, explaining to Orion as the loudspeaker droned on.

* * *

The next morning, Starlight stands in the doorway of the cottage.  "Oh, good morning!  I trust you had a pleasant night? This way, please. There are some friends who'd like to see you."

As the townsponies gather around, Starlight calls, "Gather round, friends, gather round! We've come to ask if any of you are ready to join us! There are so many friends to be made once you realize you don't need your cutie marks or the talents that come with them."

Orion steps out first, glowering. He looks surprisingly raggedy for somepony usually so polished. "I haven't slept," he growls. "How could I, with that accursed propaganda machine of yours droning away, and no way to silence it? You took away something that has formed my identity! In doing so, you have committed a crime so heinous, it's astounding the Princesses haven't caught up with you yet!" He storms right up to Starlight Glimmer, furious. "I will never join your little cult. I would rather die."

Starlight seems unfazed by Orion's outburst.  Addressing the crowd, she says, " It's all right, everypony. This is a perfectly normal part of the equalization process for those who haven't... quite seen the light yet."  Herding Orion and Raven back to the cottage, she says, "We'll try again tomorrow once you've had a bit more time to consider our philosophy!"

"Wait!" Raven says, stopping suddenly.  "My husband doesn't speak for me, misguided soul that he is.  I-- I've given this some thought, and I'd ... well, I'd like to join the village."  She turns to Orion with a sad look, and gives a surreptitious wink.  'I an only hope he will see the error of his ways and join us as well."

Christa Mactíre Orion gasps, playing the role of betrayed lover with perfection, "Hummingbird, how could you?! I thought you loved me! Why would you do such a horrible thing?!" 

“I do love you, Virgo," Raven said, "but deep down, they're right.  What has my cutie mark done for me anyway?  It's been nothing but trouble and I'm glad to be free of it."  Turning to the crowd, Raven said, "It would be an honor to join your village."

"We have a new friend, everypony!" Starlight announced as Orion was led back to the cottage.  A murmur went through the crowd, whether t was a cheer or not was left to the imagination.  Starligh turned to Raven.  "Now, there's one more order of business. It seems some in our midst might be... dissatisfied with the village life!"  Severla ponies gasped.  "Unfortunately, it's all too true, my friends!"  Wrapping a hoof around Raven, Starlight asks, "Will you kindly tell us the names of those friends who so desperately miss their cutie marks that they would sneak around in the shadows talking to strangers about it? Just so we can be sure your intentions are indeed pure."

Before Raven can say anything, Party Favor steps forward. "It was me! It was only me! But I only wanted it back for a little while!"

"And you're quite certain it was only you?" Starlight asked, a hint of malice in her voice.

Party Favor nodded. "I just wanted to remember what it was like."

Starlight Glimmer watched as two guards led Party favor to the cottage with Orion.  "And no thought to the pain you'd cause your friends. Such selfishness."

Party Favor made one more impassioned plea.  "I'm sorry, everypony! I never wanted to leave the village! I love all of—" The door slammed shut.

Starlight turned her attention back to Raven.  "Come. All new friends stay with me until their cottage is completed. Let's get you settled, and then you can enjoy all that our little village has to offer."  Starlight and Raven walked to Starlight's cottage, as the townsponies all welcomed their new friend.

"What was I thinking?! I can't believe I even considered asking for my cutie mark back." Party Favor whines. 

Orion shakes his head, "Come on, up you get! We'll be out of here soon, then we can alert the Princesses to Starlight's treachery!"

Party Favor looked panicky.  "Didn't you see what just happened out there?! Your wife has accepted our way! You will accept our way! It's only a matter of time!"  He flumped onto the floor, a forlorn lump of pony, as the re-education messages resumed over the loudspeaker.

“SHUT UP!" Orion shouts at the loudspeaker, throwing the nearest object he had to hoof at it. "Shutity up up up! How am I supposed to rescue this pony if I can hardly hear myself think?!" The speaker ignored him.

* * *

Slipping out the chimney, Raven coughed up some soot that had not gone down without a fight.  "All right ... get to the mountain, into the cave, and not only study that staff but figure out how to get the cutie marks free..."  

Slipping to the ground, she hears two ponies approaching.  Hiding in the shadows, she heard their conversation.  Starlight carries two jars with Orion and Raven's cutie marks in them.

"Excellent work, Double Diamond," Starlight said, studying the jars carefully.

"Of course, but I don't understand why you wanted me to bring them here. Hummingbird is one of us now. Surely she can be trusted," Double Diamond replied.

"I just want to keep them close until everything is... settled."  Starlight stepped inside the cottage.  "You may go, Double Diamond." The door closed and Double Diamond walked away into the night.

"It's times like this I wish I had a Plan B," Raven muttered, her musing interrupted by a loud crash.  Going to a window, she observed Starlight, dripping wet, grabbinbg a towel in her magic.  "Ugh! Starlight, you clumsy foal!" Starlight berated herself, drying her backside and revealing ... her true cutie mark.  Quickly applying a color that matched her coat over it, she took a stencil and painted the equality mark on her flank.

"This changes everything," Raven said.  She looked for a way to sneak back inside the cottage.

A tan earth pony with an hourglass cutie mark and a cream colored mare with a two-toned red mane and tail run past, toward an inconspicuous blue box. The stallion, wearing a pair of 3D glasses, bumps right into Raven. "Oops. sorry about that," he says quickly. "Forgot I was wearing these."

"Oh, it's all right," Raven says, watching the two enter the box.  A horrific grinding noise is heard moments later, and the box disappears.  Raven shrugs.  "Fezzes are cooler, though."  She slips back into the cottage.

"I've got a good feeling about today!" Starlight said in a chipper voice, parading in front of Orion.   "So, do you have anything you'd like to say?"  Orion remained silent.  "Aw, pity. Well, let's try this again tomorrow, shall we? No new friends today, I'm afraid!" she called to the crowd.

"Wait! I'd like to lock him in," Raven said, rushing over to Orion.

Starlight Glimmer nodded approvingly.  "Marvelous, Hummingbird! That's the spirit! Party Favor, will you join us, please?"

Party Favor rushed over to Starlight and groveled at her hooves.  "I'm sorry, Starlight! I'm sorry, everypony! I've seen the error of my ways! I never want to look at my cutie mark again!"

Starlight Glimmer looked smug.  "It seems there's cause for celebration after all!"

The crowd cheered. Party Favor looked disgustedly at Orion.  "He tried to break me! He wouldn't stop talking about how different they are, and that somehow makes their love stronger!"

Starlight Glimmershook her head in disgust.   "Such backwards thinking."

Party Favor got a deranged look.   "But I didn't listen! I knew what he was up to, and I didn't listen!"

Starlight Glimmer smiled slightly.  "Well done, Party Favor! We welcome you back with open hooves!"

Orion just glares at Starlight looking even more bad-tempered, his bowtie askew. Then he lets the expression fall, and says in a different voice "I think you might have one more friend joining you today." He points to himself.

A collective gasp rose from the crowd. Starlight turned to face Orion.  "Is this true?"

Orion nods.  "I think so. But I just want to be sure. If I agree to leave my cutie mark in the vault, I'll really be happier?"

Starlight Glimmer nods.  "Just look around! Equality has given us more happiness than you've ever known!"  All of the ponies nod.

"And you wouldn't let me just live here in the village with my old cutie mark?" Orion asked.

Starlight Glimmer shook her head firmly.  "Out of the question. A pony with a different cutie mark in our midst would destroy our entire philosophy. We are all equal here!"  The crowd murmured in assent.

"Then how do you explain this?!" asked Raven, hurling a bucketful of water at Starlight.  Starlight attempted to dodge, but some droplets of water landed on her, running down where her cutie mark was, exposing the true mark underneath.

Orion smirks. "Good thinking, Hummingbird!" 

Raven smirks.  "Hooray for Plan B."

 Starlight sputters, glaring daggers at Raven.  "I knew you couldn't be trusted!" The crowd presses in closer.  "No! Get away!" she says in a panicky voice. Seeing her cutie mark, the crowd gasps. "Wha... What are you looking at?! They're the problem, not me!" Starlight said, trying to deflect their attention.

Party Favor looked stunned.  "How could you?"

"You said cutie marks were evil! You said special talents led to pain and heartache!" Double Doiamond chimed in.

Starlight Glimmer was panicking.   "They do! Don't you see?! Look at them!"

Sugar Belle asked,  "Then why? Why did you take ours and not give up your own?"

Starlight Glimmer racked her brain for a good answer.  "I... I had to, you fools! How could I collect your cutie marks without my magic?!"

"But the staff has all the magic we need!" Night Glider replied.

Starlight Glimmer lost her patience.  "The staff is a piece of wood I found in the desert! It's my magic that makes all this possible! You'd all still be living your miserable lives thinking you're better than everypony else if it weren't for my magical abilities! I brought you friendship! I brought you equality! I created harmony!"

Double Diamond cried out, "You lied to us!"

"So what? E-Everything else I said is true! The only way to be happy is if we're all equal!" Starlight splutters.

"Except for you," calls out Orion from behind. "You're a hypocrite, and they all know it! Everypony has unique talents and gifts, and when we share them with each other, that's how rea—"

"QUIET!" Starlight shouts.

Sugar Belle confronted Starlight.  "You can't have a cutie mark, Starlight! Either we're all equal, or none of us are!"

Starlight retreats inside her cottage and slams the door.

Double Diamond calls out to the crowd, "Come on! Let's get our cutie marks back!" The crowd yells in agreement and runs off to the mountain.

Orion gives Raven a big hug.  "Great thinking!  Come on! Let's go get our cutie marks!"

Raven looks horrified.  "Our cutie marks aren't in the vault! They're in there with her!" she says, pointing to the cottage.

Orion gapes, "Then we haven't a moment to lose!" He takes off toward the door.

Inside the cutie mark cave, ponies beat their hooves against the glass, trying to break through and retrieve their cutie mark.

"Stand back, everypony!" Double Diamond calls out, running past with the staff.  He flings it at the wall, which immediately cracks.  A rumble overtakes the entire cave, and  as the glass disintegrates, cutie marks are released, attaching themselves back on their original owners.

Back at the cottage, Starlight packs up Orion's and  Raven's cutie marks.  "They think they can come to my village and disrupt my life? Let's see how they like spending the rest of their lives without their precious cutie marks!"  She flings the bed aside with her magic, revealing a set of stairs that lead to an underground passage.  She descends the stairs and is soon gone.

Orion meanwhile rifles through his jacket pockets and produces his magic screwdriver. Holding it in his mouth, he aims the tip toward the door, and presses the button with his teeth. The hinges of the door burst from the frame and the door falls flat onto the floor.  Orion and Raven burst in and begin searching for their cutie marks.  

"They're gone! They were right over there!" Raven says, pointing to the empty spot where the jars once sat.  They follow the stairs to the passageway, and meet up with Sugar Belle, Party Favor, Night Glider, and Double Diamond, all of whom have their proper cutie marks returned.

Party Favor takes a balloon and fashions a crude set of binoculars.  Looking through them, he declares, "She's headed for the pass! If she makes it into those mountains, we'll never find her!"

Sugar Belle nods sadly.  "There's a whole network of caves up there! Your cutie marks will be gone forever!"

"Then what are waiting for? Run!" He grabs Raven's hoof and runs with her after the fleeing Starlight. The other four, being quicker, overtake Orion and Raven and are soon catching up to Starlight.

"Are you all so willing to give up everything because of these strangers?!" Starlight sneered.

"We gave up everything for you, because we thought you were our friend!" Sugar Belle replied.

With a burst of magic, Starlight destroys the natural bridge over a ravine and continues her getaway.

"She's gonna get away!" Raven observes, her and Orion having caught up to the foursome.

Double Diamond finds an object in the snow. "Whoa! These are my old skis! This is where I first met Starlight!"

Night Glider interrupts, "Maybe you can reminisce another time! She's almost to the caves!"

Double Diamond smirks.   "Feel like an air drop?" he asks Night Glider.

Moments later, Double Diamond is skiing along and above Starlight, sending a wave of snow crashing down around her.  The snow hits her and knocks the jars from her magical grasp, which shatter on the rocky ground, freeing Orion's and Raven's cutie marks and sending them back to their rightful place.

Orion adjusts his bowtie and smiles. "Much better!" 

"Yes, you're adorable," Raven says, "now let's go help our new friends!"

Up on the mountainside, the four gather around where Starlight lay, next to two broken jars.  Shakily getting to her hooves, Starlight glared at the four that ruined her chance to escape with the purloined cutie marks.  She charged her horn and fired a magic volley at the four.

Orion uses his magic to erect a blue spherical shield. "Nice try," he says.

Starlight is stunned that Orion blocked her spell so effrotlessly.  "Wh– I studied that spell for years! How can you—"

"I studied magic for years too! But what I didn't know then was that studying could only take me so far. Each of my friends has taught me something different about myself! It was their unique gifts and passions and personalities that helped bring out the magic inside of me! I never would have learned that I represent the elements of fairness and truth without these five! And I certainly wouldn't be here to stop you now!" Orion says.

"Spare me your sentimental nonsense! I gave these ponies real friendships they never could've had otherwise!" Starlight yelled, furious.

"How do you know that?! You never even gave us a chance!" retorted Double Diamond.

With a  blast of magic, Starlight pushed a path through the ponies and ran into the caves.

"She's getting away!" Orion starts running after her. "Come on, everypony!"

Double Diamond, place a hoof in front of Orion, stopping him.  "It's no use.  There's too many places to get lost, or hide in.   We'll never find her in there!"

Orion heaves a deep sigh. "Oh I suppose... We just have to hope that when she's had a chance to think it over, she realizes that you all have taught her something."

"It's you who have taught us something," Party Favor says.  "We all came to this village because we were searching for something missing from our lives. We thought Starlight had given it to us, but now... now it seems it was in front of us all along. It's us!"

Orion looks curious. "Does that mean you'll stay in the village?"

Night Glider nods.  "It's our home. I'm not going anywhere."

Double Diamond agrees.  "This is a chance for all of us to get to know each other again for the very first time!"

"And I finally have a chance to bake something besides terrible muffins!" Sugar Belle says, relieved. Everypony laughs, and the scene fades to later that day, at a party.

Raven and Orion watch as the ponies celebrate the return of their cutie marks, and finally have some fun.  "Now those are real smiles," Raven says, grinning.

Orion smiles back, "Shall we return to Headquarters, Agent Hummingbird?" He winks.

"Do we have to go back right away?  I'd like to stay around for a little bit, mainly because that Sugar Belle can bake!!" Raven said, fixing Orion with a puppy-dog stare.  "Pleeeeease?"

Orion laughs. "I never could say no to that stare." He kisses Raven's nose. "Let's go!" And he walks with her toward the party. 


	2. A Bond in Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orion and Luna go to Las Pegasus, where Luna's niece Blueblood has an evil plan in store.

A wooden blue call box materialized in the dark depths of the Canterlot alleyway, and out of it came two ponies: one was a grey unicorn stallion wearing a purple frock coat, blue shirt, a blue fez, and a bow tie. He had black glasses, bright green eyes, and a brown mane and tail. Next there came a mare, with blue fur, turquoise eyes, matching blue wings, a mane and tail composed of flowing stars, and a long, pointed unicorn horn. She wore a tuxedo.

"We see thou hast left the brakes on again, Agent Shadow," comments the mare, smirking a bit to the unicorn.

"I like the noise!" protests Orion. "Give me a break, Luna."

Luna's smirk grew wider. "Later tonight, of course. When we are not on duty."

Orion made a show of checking his pocket watch, "We'd best get going… Blueblood's party will be starting soon."

Nodding in agreement, the blue alicorn led the way toward the distant nightclub and casino, its neon lights bright in the nighttime darkness. They breezed inside, showing their passes to the bouncer, who waved them through. Then they walked through another door into the main room.

The music was, if possible, even louder here. Ponies danced and gyrated with all sorts of glowing objects held in their hooves, mouths, or wings in time to the beat, while elsewhere other ponies were playing at slot machines or card tables.

Orion glanced to his companion, "We'll split up… you cover the card tables, I'll take care of the dance floor and slot machines!" With that the two went their separate ways.

* * *

The Golden Pony Casino wasn't nearly as flashy as the ones in Las Pegasus, but the locals seemed to like it a great deal. The showpiece, a gilded statue of a pony, stood at the cewnter of a large fountain at the main entrance, enhanced by a light and dancing-water show once every hour. Another feature, in an attempt to bring a more 'highbrow' clientele, was the addition of chamber music in the card arena.

Seated on the raised platform with the rest of the quartet, a grey-coated, black-haired earth pony brought out a fine cello from its as one of the finest cellists in all of Equestria, the casino staff was practically falling all over themselves to welcome Octavia and her ensemble. Little did the know her true reason for being here tonight.

Spotting her quarry, she mimed continuing to set up her cello. Rreaching down in a very smooth and barely perceptible manner, she picked up her 'special' bow, and readied a special surprise for the incoming agent.

Luna makes her way into the chamber music room, her tuxedo clinging nicely to and accentuating her form. Flicking her wings, she spots a game of Blackjack about to start and sits down to join the other ponies there. "Salutations, good gentle colts and mares!" she greets, paying Octavia no mind.

Raising her bow, and nodding to the other members of the chamber quartet, a flurry of notes floated amongst the gamblers, many of them paying no attention, at least consciously. Octavia worked her bow against the strings, sending soaring melodies out to lull the herd into a false sense of security. The sudden increase of higher than normal wagers indicated that it was working.

Octavia kept a close eye on Luna, and smiled slightly when she saw which table she had picked. she would have a long rest coming up in a few more bars, and she knew this would be the time to act.

Luna's ethereal tail swishes somehow as she plays, her masterful poker face in full effect. One of her fellow players comments, "I admire your luck, Miss..." Luna smiles, "Bond. Luna Bond," before placing the winning card into play.

Octavia looks over the top of her cello as he rest arrives, the two small marker dots acting as an aiming sight. She reaches down into her case, retrieving a rosin bag anda small case. Opeing the case, she selects a small crossbow arrow, its tip coated with a paralyzing agent. She did not want to kill Luna; quite the contrary, the big boss would be furious if that were to happen.

Touching a spot on the back of the cello's neck, the larger string popped out slightly further than the others, tensing up as a bowstring. She loaded the arrow and took careful aim at Luna's flank.

Luna wins the card game and cheers quietly, taking her sizable sack of chips with her, intending to redeem them. She rises to her hooves, preparing to leave, when Octavia's arrow strikes true. Gasping in shock, she faints, poker chips falling down onto the floor beside her.

Octavia smiles, and nods to two henchunicorns standing nearby, Quickly, they levitate the fallen princess (and her winnings - after all, fair's fair) and cart her off toward the unseen recesses of the casino.

* * *

Elsewhere, Agent Orion is dancing spectacularly badly among the younger generation, various glow rings attached to his forelegs. Occasionally he bumps into another dancer and apologizes fiercely.

Vinyl Scratch, better known to her fans and most of Equestria as DJ PON-3, was busy at her turntables as usual. She had a lot to do, what with keeping a roomful of ponies dancing and energized, cueing up the next music tracks, and keeping an eye out for certain nosy secret agents wearing fezzes. She spotted Orion dancing out on the main floor, and used her magic to levitate two special records from their bin. Smaller than her normal 10-inch discs, these had their edges sharpened to a razor-like state, sharp enough to possibly cut through solid rock if thrown hard enough. She readied her first disc and, with a magical burst, let it fly, watching it sail over Orion's head and embed in a stone column near the entrance.

 Orion feels his ears flick as something whooshes over his head. He looks up, spotting the disc embedded in a column, and turns to see where it might have came from... his eyes widen in shock, and he looks comically surprised, complete with his muzzle forming an 'o' shape. Then he ducks, worming his way through the other dancers to take a more defensive position by the refreshment table.

Vinyl sees Orion moving and quickly launches two more sharpened discs, one cutting through the heavily coiffed mane of one of the dancers. This started a mini-panic, with ponies bumping into each other as they scrambled to get out of the way. Cursing under her breath, Vinyl readied for a return strike from Orion, ducking down behind the DJ booth.

Orion concentrates and fires two bursts of magical light at the DJ booth, causing the turntable to start warping and break down. In the ensuing panic he scrambles closer toward the booth, looking for Vinyl. Bolts of blue strike near Orion's hooves as Vinyl attempts to slow him down long enough for another record attack. Finally seeing an opportunity, she readies her last disc and, after taking careful aim, slips and sails the disc over Orion's head, hitting instead one of the fire sprinklers, sending water cascading down around them.

Orion's hooves slip and slide as he loses control, he ends up zipping right into the other unicorn's DJing stand, possibly into the unicorn herself, "Whuaaaaagh- ow! Sorry about that... I'm a little damp!"

"More like you're all wet, dude!" Vinyl says, grabbing hold of Orion. "Ha! Gotcha! And Tavi's got your partner in crime! Now let's go, it's time to see the boss!" She tries to drag Orion away, but her hooves slip on the slick floor.

Orion rolls his eyes, "Villains... you really should have thought ahead, Miss Scratch!" His own hooves slip and slide as he holds onto her, "Wouldn't it be faster if we just teleported?"

"OH, right, teleport… DUH!" Vinyl says, smacking her head. "I keep forgetting that part." She pulls Orion closer, and in a brilliant blue flash, both ponies disappear from the dance floor... and reappear just outside the office of the boss. "Huh. Guess I didn't project far enough…" says the DJ, sheepishly.

* * *

Orion shakes himself dry, "Should've let me do it... I'm very good with teleports." He looks around for Tavi and Luna, "I'm guessing they're all inside? Let's go in!" He blasts the doorknob off with a burst of magic, then pushes it open, still dragging Vinyl along. "Hello? Are we late?"

"I'd say you're right on time," said a voice from within the office. A dark figure stood in front of a bright doorway, slowly stepping forward to reveal himself. A deck of cards floated in his magic aura. "Welcome, Mister Shadow. I am Con Mane, assistant to His Majesty, Prince Blueblood. I believe you already know Luna Bond, " he said with a chuckle. The lights come on to reveal Luna suspended over a large tank. Inside that tank are hundreds of piranhas, each swimming about and gnashing their teeth. Luna's horn is covered with a magic damper, and she is still paralyzed from the arrow striking her flank.

"How fortunate of you both to arrive... just in time for dinner." Con Mane throws a whole plucked chicken into the water. After several minutes of furious bubbling and thrashing, the frenzy parts, a completely stripped chicken skeleton sinking to the bottom. "Unless you want the same fate to befall your accomplice, Mister Shadow... let's play a game."

Orion shivers at the sight of the chicken skeleton, already picturing something similar happening to Luna... he looks back to Con Mane, letting go of Vinyl at last, "Fine... I'll play your game, Mane."

A card table appears before Orion, Con Mane stepping up to it. "Excellent. Pick correctly three times and I will consider letting her go. Each incorrect guess lowers her closer to... snack time." An evil grin spreads over his face as he selects two red face cards and the queen of spades. "The rules are simple: find the black queen and you win the round." The cards are turned face down and Con begins moving them rapidly with his hooves. Stopping, he says, "Make your choice."

Making sure he watches what he thinks is the black queen, Orion selects the middle card.

Con Mane flips the card to reveal ... the queen of spades. "Lucky guess," he says, "you won't be as lucky from now on." Using his magic this time, he shuffles the three cards quicker than before. "Pick your card," he commands once the shuffling stops.

Orion watches the card carefully again, concentrating hard, and selects the left card.

Con Mane flips the card to reveal... the jack of hearts. "Too bad..." he says, as the rope slips down a notch and jerks to a stop. Luna's eyes widen in fear. More shuffling, the pace dizzying now. "You'd better be careful, Luna's almost at ... the end of her rope."

Heart racing, Orion selects the right-most card.

Con Mane flips the card to reveal... the queen of spades. He scowls. "You're making a mockery of this. Very well, then... you need one more match." The cards fly at a dizzying pace, almost impossible to watch. Con Mane smirks. With his hoof, he indicates that Orion should pick a card ... not realizing one card is poking out of his mane.

Orion however does realize it, and picks the card poking out of Con's mane, smirking. "Now let her go. Unharmed. Or I'll shoot," he informs, politely.

Con Mane sputters, then sighs. "Yes, you are correct... you can shoot me... or you can save Luna." His horn glows, and the rope starts lowering to the water. With a puff of dark blue smoke, Con Mane disappears.

"Orion! Save us!" Luna cries out, her voice recovered from the paralysis spell.

"I'm coming, Luna!" Horn aglow, he fires a burst of magic at the rope, severing it. But before Luna has time to fall to her demise, he teleports her near himself, safe. It only took a few seconds, but it had to be precisely calculated.

Luna breathes a sigh of relief. "We thank thee, Orion. Truly this was a fishy caper." She smirks. "Dost thou think thou could help us with... " She points a hoof toward her horn, which still has the magic damper on it.

"Oh! Of course, Luna." He smiles and removes the magic damper easily, it wasn't the first time he'd had to do it after all. He gives her a hug, "I'm glad you're safe."

Luna hugs back royally. "We are glad for thee, Orion. Blueblood is down that hallway, we must catch him before he can escape once again!"

"Let's go then, we haven't a moment to lose!" He takes off, galloping down the hall as fast as his hooves can carry him. Luna trots alongside him.

They enter a brightly-lit room, with rows upon rows of workstations set up along the perimeter of the room. Ponies work entering calculations and checking figures on slide rules. Seated on a raised platform, overseeing all, is Prince Blueblood. He sees the two agents arrive and sighs. "Oh drat, my fun is about to be ruined," he huffs.

"It would have been sooner, but we were delayed." Orion looks up at Blueblood, "So, what's the nightclub then? A front for your secret base?"

"What, just because I'm a supervillain I can't have a bit of fun myself?" Blueblood said testily. "Besides, it's a rare treat to have both Octavia and Vinyl performing for me at the same time." He rises to his hooves. "But, enough idle chit-chat. You are far too late to stop me! The plan is already in motion, and soon ALL of Equestria will tremble at my hooves! Bwaaahahahaaaaaa!" He motions to a henchpony, who pulls down on a big red lever. Rising up from the floor are a set of giant subwoofer speakers, on top of which rides Vinyl. "Allow me to demonstrate my newest secret weapon - the Bass Cannon 10,000!" Vinyl seems suitably awed, but goes back to setting switches and dials. "One wub from these subwoofers will be enough to level half of Equestria and anything in its path!"

"And what art thou doing that for, wretched knave?" inquires Luna. "To build a statue of thyself from the ensuing rubble?"

"I'm doing it to prove I'm serious," Blueblood replied, a hint of anger in his voice. "Unless my demands for ten million bits is met, I start leveling cities, one per hour. Princess Celestia has fifteen minutes to reply to my first demand, and if she doesn't... goodbye Appleloosa!" He sat back down in his chair. "Stupid mean ol' Auntie Tia cutting off my allowance... " he mumbled.

"Thou art an ungrateful whelp, Blueblood! Thou art lucky to not be disowned!" She takes to the air, horn flaring to life as she aims it right at the bass cannon, firing a flare of magic straight at it. Klaxon horns and red lights create a scene of confusion and catastrophe, sending the henchponies scrambling as Luna scores a direct hit! 

Blueblood drops to the floor, looking up and crying, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Composing himself, he sits back down on his chair, and presses a large red button. "You win this time but I'll be back! and next time I will not fail! Mwahahahahahaha!" Just before his chair is enclosed by canopy glass, he says, "Oh, and tell Auntie Tia I send my regards. Toodles!" The canopy seals, and with a deafening roar, a miniature rocket blasts off, puncturing the ceiling and flying toward parts unknown.

Sighing heavily, Luna comes in for a landing and wraps her forelegs around Orion. "Such a rambunctious young colt... mayhaps it is time Tia and I did something about him, once and for all..." She looks to the two musicians, "Both of you, return to thy stations."

Octavia and Vinyl, seemingly stunned to hear Luna giving them orders now, look at each other. They shrug, and start walking out toward the casino. "Hey Tavi, let's swing by the buffet. I haven't had a bite all day and it'll be a while before the club is dried out."

Octavia nods. "Certainly, Vinyl. I'll even be generous and pick up the tab." Both ponies exit.

Nodding, Orion takes Luna's hoof, "Back to base then! The Chief will want to see us."

"Yes, let us away for our next riveting adventure!" Luna walks alongside Orion. "And please, do remember to take the brake off before we go this time…"

"Fine!" They eventually find their way back to the box and go inside, and then it disappears, this time without a sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was inspired by a commission the two of us got of Orion standing in front of the TARDIS, while Luna is beside him wearing a tuxedo with the James Bond gun barrel behind her. It’s silly and not meant to be taken seriously at all, and that’s what I like about it.


	3. Time-Slip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seeking revenge on Orion for his actions against her in Our Town, Starlight Glimmer travels back in time and attempts to make sure Raven's murder of him proceeds as planned. An adaptation of the Season 5 finale, "The Cutie Re-Mark."

Orion stood inside the lecture hall of Celestia’s School of Gifted Unicorns. It was largely empty, save for himself and his changeling assistant, Steno Pad. He stood on the stage, rehearsing a speech. In front of him was a set of cue cards floating in his telekinesis. “If somepony had told me when I was a single pony that one day I'd give a speech to a class at Celestia's School of Gifted Unicorns, I wouldn't have believed it, but I hope that I have been up to the task, because I can tell that all of you are and that the future of Equestrian magic is in good hooves!”

Steno clapped his hooves appreciatively. “Wow! That was even better than the first eleven times!” He cleared his throat.

Orion shrugged. “I’m not sure, Steno. I’d like to be able to get through the whole speech without looking at the cards.”

Steno rolled his eyes, “Come on, Orion! You can't be nervous about giving a speech to a bunch of magic students!”

Orion smiled reassuringly. “Oh, I'm not nervous, Steno, but I do have to set a good example, especially for magic students. That's why this speech has to be…”

“Perfect?”

“Exactly. Let's go through it one more time.” He cleared his throat and began again. “When Princess Celestia asked me to speak to you today, I was honored to have the opportunity to talk about my favorite subject: magic.”

* * *

The day of the speech had come. The lecture hall was packed to the gills with unicorns, all of them students, who had come to hear the somewhat-famous Orion Shadow speak. He stood on the stage once more, dressed handsomely in a Victorian-style [outfit](http://bit.ly/1QrB7rn). “Obviously, the long term effects of true love have yet to be determined, but…” He paused to take a sip of water, “Next slide, please.”

Steno, who had fallen asleep, was jostled awake by a purple [unicorn](http://bit.ly/2Mzl41k) with a purple mane streaked with pale green, who was listening closely. Steno quickly switched slides to a picture of him on a beach, then to one of Orion’s and Raven’s wedding photos.

Orion continued. “I can speak from my own experience that the power of true love is very real! Without it, I would never have met my wife, and today we might as well be under the hooves of Queen Chrysalis of the changelings or, alternately, Nightmare Moon herself, because I would never have had the courage to protect Equestria when she needed me most!”

His eyes scanned the auditorium, and his gaze briefly fell on the unicorn who had woken Steno. His eyes widened for a second, but by the time he blinked, she had gone. Surprised, he tried to continue, but found himself losing his train of thought, so he took out his cue cards. “The real question about... true love is... who it seems to affect!” he said.

* * *

Later that day, Orion and Steno were walking through Ponyville toward Shadowfall Manor, discussing something.

“Starlight Glimmer?” asked Steno, looking uncertain. 

Orion nodded. “I was sure I saw her, Steno. But when I looked again, she was gone! I'm just worried what she could be up to.” He frowned as they went along.

Steno frowned too, “Nothing good, I bet. I heard she wasn't very happy the last time you saw her.”

Orion nodded. “That’s an understatement… Forcing everypony in her village to have the same cutie mark wasn't right. We had to do something!”

“And now she's coming back for revenge. Uh, or she was just really interested in your speech!” Steno said hopefully. 

Orion chuckled as he unlocked the doors and proceeded through the entrance hall and into the kitchen, and from there through the secret panel in the wall that led to a door-filled hallway, which ended in a trapdoor concealed by a police call box. “Honestly, Steno. I'm not really sure what I saw. Maybe I was just more stressed about that speech than I thought!”

“Yeah. That sounds better than Starlight Glimmer coming back with an evil plot for revenge,” Steno commented, perking himself back up.

“Well, when you say it like that, it does sound kind of ridiculous,” Orion agrees, entering the box and dialing a number. The floor gave out from under them, and they landed on a soft cushion.

There was a long silence. The secret lab base was normally very busy, filled with ponies in white lab coats rushing around, or ponies in suits typing on typewriters. Even J, the pony in charge, was nowhere to be found.

Orion rose to his hooves, his expression darkening. “Or it’s totally true…” he theorized, just as J’s desk chair, its occupant hidden from view, spun around. Starlight was there, holding a piece of paper and smirking. “Welcome home, Agent Virgo! Or should I say, Orion Shadow?”

“What are you doing here, Starlight?” Orion asks, proceeding through the room toward her. Steno followed along behind. 

Starlight just laughed. “I'd tell you, but I don't want to ruin the surprise! Won't be needing that anymore!” Her horn lit as she fired her magic at the piece of paper. It spun around, activating a 3D map of Equestria that stood in the middle of the room. Growling, Orion aimed his own magic at the developing portal, but this only seemed to make it form faster. A sphere filled with ticking clocks formed, then sucked Starlight inside. Seconds later, she vanished.

“Where did she go?!” asked Steno, looking worried. 

“I don’t know Steno, but we’d better find out!” He took out an ordinary key from his pocket and the scroll Starlight had used with magic, then galloped to a forgotten corner of the room, where there stood a bright red phone booth. He unlocked the door and opened it. Inside the booth there was a large [room](http://bit.ly/1T0x8S7) with a hexagonal console in the middle that looked suitably cozy and inviting, lit by candles,

"What is this place?" asked Steno, as the pair stepped inside. The room was much larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside.

"It's called the SIDRAT," said Orion, trotting over to the console and starting to push some buttons, "The lab ponies made it for me. It stands for Space And Dimensions Relative In Time."

Steno blinked. ”So... It's a time machine?"

Orion nodded. ”Exactly! And we're going to use it to follow Starlight around." He held up the scroll and placed it magically on the console. A light flashed, and the central column began to move up and down as a loud wheezing noise filled the air. "Wherever in time she's gone, the SIDRAT will find her! It's locking onto her temporal coordinates now!" With magic, he pulled over a monitor and read the display:

**_DATE: 03/05/1005_ **

**_PLACE: TROTTINGHAM, COLTSWORTH MANOR_ **

**_SECOND DIARCHICAL ERA_ **

Orion gasped, putting a hoof on his chest. "That's the day I first met Raven... The night she tried to kill me." He turned around and headed back toward the door. "Be careful, we mustn't be seen... We're crossing my own time stream, after all. Whatever Starlight intends to do here… I have a nasty feeling it won’t be good.”

“Why do you say that?” Steno wondered. “She can’t do anything to you!”

“She can,” said Orion grimly. “Time travel is dangerous. If you alter the past even a little, you’ll create big ripples in the future. Ordinarily the universe is able to compensate, but not in this case… Starlight has come to the night Raven and I first met. If she intends to stop us from falling for each other, that will affect me, not to mention you… we have to stop her, and put things right.”

* * *

He led the way into the stately interiors of Coltsworth Manor, as it existed a decade previously. Distant voices could be heard down a hallway. Trotting as quietly as possible, the unicorn and the changeling made their way to the main room.

Entering the main room, Orion and Steno watch as Raven and Orion enter the room from outside, through the grand entrance doors, Raven being supported by Orion as they walk across the floor.  Seated on a chaise in the far corner of the room, munching from a big box of popcorn, was Starlight.  Spotting Orion and Steno, she quickly raised her hoof to her mouth in a shushing motion, pointed to the couple, then went back to munching her popcorn.

Orion held Raven's valise in his telekinesis.  “Would you like to go up and relax?  I can have your snack brought up to you,” Orion said. 

Raven nodded and smiled.  “That would be lovely, Orion.  You are a dear, being so nice to a pony you've only just met.”

Starlight's horn glowed faintly, and a change came over Raven's demeanor.  Raven blinked her eyes sultrily.  “And such a cutie, too,” she purred.  She placed her hooves on Orion's cheeks.  “Thank you again … for everything.”

Starlight strolls casually over to the future Orion and Steno. “Telepathic suggestion spells, aren't they simply divine?” she says with a  smirk as Raven mashes her lips firmly against Orion, who sputters and tries to break free of the surprise osculatory onslaught.

Future Orion and Steno could only watch in horror as Orion started to breathe heavier, clawing at his throat as if some unseen force was strangling him.  He hacked and wheezed, his eyes bulging out of their sockets, until he finally crumpled in a heap onto the floor, unmoving, not breathing, eyes wide open in a dead-pony's stare.  Smiling to herself, Raven calmly collected her valise and walked out of Coltsworth Manor.

Furious, Orion turned to Starlight.  “What did you just do?” he demanded.

Starlight laughed.  “You'll soon find out.”  And with that, she blinked out of existence.

“It was murder, plain and simple,” Orion shouts as he storms back into his ship, tossing his green coat onto a chair. “My murder… the same murder Raven almost committed herself. I’m only alive because I’m now an anomaly in space-time.”

“Then why am I still here?” Steno asks, following.

“Same reason… or the universe just likes us.” He moves his hooves over the controls, “Right then, back to the future…”

* * *

Orion’s ship appeared in what might have been the spy headquarters, had it existed. It was now a military barracks room. Stepping outside, Orion and Steno look around, confused.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” asks Steno, inspecting some of the bunk beds.

“Of course it’s the right place!” Orion says distractedly. “We’ve only moved in time, remember? Not space! We’re exactly where we… should be…” He trails off as the distant sounds of marching hooves grows louder. From somewhere, a voice shouts “ALL HOOVES ON DECK! THE ENEMY SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN SIGHTED! BATTLE COMMENCING NOW!”

A flurry of hooves started racing through the barracks as ponies moved quickly to their assigned stations.  Steno tugged at Orion.  “This way!” he yelled, and the two moved to where the secret emergency exit would have been.

Opening the door, the two stared out at the heavy fortifications surrounding what would have been Shadowfall Manor, the manor itself being replaced by a series of nondescript brick buildings at the center and Quonset-style barracks buildings surrounding the rest of the grounds.  Small pathways led around the grounds.

Orion and Steno ducked around the side of a building, hearing the rumble of a wagon.  They peeked around the corner to see a familiar gray earth pony pulling an olive-drab-colored wagon behind him.  He wore a camouflage-patterned helmet on his head.  On the front of the helmet was written, “BORN TO KILL,” and off to the left of the words was a small button with the peace symbol.

“Longhaul!” Orion canters over to his friend, breathing a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness you’re here… what in the world is going on? This place is… well, a war zone! I’ve never seen anything like it! It didn’t used to look like this!”

Longhaul, startled by the voices, gave the wagon a kick, releasing the harness from the wagon, and immediately assumed an aggressive posture, staring hard at Orion.  “Okay … who are you, how do you know my name, and how in Celestia's name did you get on base without being challenged?  If I don't like your answers, I'm gonna stomp a mudhole in ya and walk it dry!”

Orion sighs. “Okay, let’s try again… I’m Orion, a friend of yours from the version of history that is supposed to have happened, except it didn’t because a unicorn named Starlight Glimmer time-traveled back into the past, inspired my future wife to kill me, and now all this has happened. As for why I’m on base, well, the base would have been my house! And I really wouldn’t suggest stomping me, because I have a horn and I’m not afraid to use it. Does that clear things up?”

Cautiously stepping closer, Longhaul peered closely at this strange pony, studying his face.  “Y'know, you do look like that Orion feller that got himself offed a while back.  I read about it in the papers, some big Trottingham noble dude.”  He looked around.  “It's not safe here.  Get in the wagon and cover with the tarp.  I know a place where we can talk.”

Once Orion and Steno were in the wagon and covered up, Longhaul pulled the wagon back to the maintenance yards.  Pulling the wagon directly inside a large barn-like structure, he unhitched himself and closed the sliding blast door.  “Okay, it's safe,” he said, and helped Orion and Steno out of the wagon.  “Oh, and the whole 'unicorn' threat?”  he said, tugging at his fatigues.  “Magically augmented.  Won't last forever, but will withstand enough of your magic blasts for me to make you both into pony pancakes.  Now, what's all this about time travel and alternate universes?”

Orion looks curiously at Longhaul’s fatigues. “Ooh, really? That’s interesting! I should investigate that…” Then he remembers himself. “Okay, time travel… she used a time spell to go back in time and change the past, I used a time machine to go back and follow her, failed, and now we’re here in a version of history that should never have occurred in the first place. So what I want to know is… who are we fighting and why?"

Longhaul sighed.  “It never should have gotten this far.  I guess the Sisters didn't see it as that big a threat at first.  It started small, with a few Manehattan street gangs being squashed.  Started with the Bad Seeds, their leader just up and disappearing.  Next thing, she's coming around saying she's in charge.  Then, the others started falling.  The Cribbers.  The Ponis Viejas Locas.  It wasn't until she took over the pony Mafia that the Sisters started to take notice.  By then it was too late.  She had an army, and she was making a run at the throne.  Called herself Lord Queen Raven, and dragged all of Equestria into war.”

Orion sighs again, “Terrific… my wife has become the world’s biggest crime boss since Al Capone… and a would-be ruler of Equestria.” He facehoofs. “I think today is going to be a very long day… Steno, let’s just get back to the ship… we’re going back and putting this right.”

“I don't know what you're up to, mister,” Longhaul said, “but if it'll stop this madness, I wish you the best of luck.”  Outside, muffled explosions were heard and the building shook slightly.  “Sounds like the party's already started.  C'mon, let's make a run for it.”

The three weaved their way across the compound, arriving back where they had started.  “I gotta get back to work now, good luck to you both.”  A rather loud and close explosion shook the ground, clods of dirt raining down on the three.  “Better go before you end up like your counterpart here.  See ya on the other side.”  Longhaul raced off, dodging magical bolts and explosions as he moved further into the compound.

“Thank the stars that’s over,” Orion gasps, panting for breath as he makes his way to the console. “I really didn’t want to see what ‘Lord Queen Raven’ would look like…” 

* * *

A few moments later, they land back in Coltsworth. Orion wastes no time being sneaky, he simply runs along the corridor, lights his horn, and fires the first shot he can at Starlight, hoping to surprise her.

Starlight slides a bit to the side, the magic bolt passing harmlesly past her and striking Raven, pushing her forward and planting a kiss directly on Orion's lips.  Starlight looks at Orion and begins to sarcastically applaud before she winks away once again. 

Steno and Orion stare at one another for several seconds. Steno is incredulous, Orion is annoyed. “Oh… shut up,” he says at last, turning around and heading right back to where they came from.

“So, if Starlight’s changes to the past are rewriting time, how can we stop her?” Steno asks, as the ship lands somewhat roughly. 

Orion can only shrug as he drops back onto all fours, “I haven’t the faintest idea… so we’ll probably have to improvise. She’s too strong as it is, I only just managed to hold my own against her.”

Steno stares at him. “That doesn’t actually answer the question.”

“Not really, no.” Orion pushes open the door and trots outside, where he discovers that they have apparently materialized inside a changeling hive.

Steno steps into view beside him, and blinks. “I thought we were going back home.” 

Orion sighs, “We are! What in the world are you- Oh.” He finally realizes where they are, and pales. “Well… that’s not good.”

“And neither is that,” says Steno, as the sound of hollow hooves approaches. Two changeling drones, a male and female, enter the room. One is very large and has brown eyes, while the other has magenta ones.

Orion sighs again. “Ooh, that’s bad… oh, that’s extremely very not good…”

“Intruders!” the tall one hissed.  His horn lit up and he glared at them menacingly.  “Shall we kill them now, Raven?”

“No, Longhaul,” the smaller female one said.  “They will be brought before our glorious queen.  She thought she had eradicated all of the ponies from the lands, she will be most interested in these two.”

Steno disappeared in a flash of green flame, revealing his true changeling appearance.  “One, actually.  I captured this one wandering around in the great forest.”  He turned to look at Orion and, satisfied that the others couldn't see him, winked at Orion.

“You have done well, brother.  Truly there will be a double ration of love for you tonight for your discovery.  Let us bring this pony to the queen.” Changeling Longhaul adjusted his battered Stetson and moved behind Orion, Steno and Changeling Raven flanking him.

“Must you wear that thing?” Raven asked.

“It was part of the look, and I grew to like it.  I promise I'll remove it before we approach the throne room.”  Longhaul prodded Orion with his horn, and the group marched down the hall toward the throne room of Queen Chrysalis.

 “If you want my opinion, you should keep it,” says Orion to Longhaul. “Stetsons are cool.” His gaze slides to Raven. “Eradication of the ponies? Does that mean every pony in Equestria has been [ex-term-in-ate-d](https://youtu.be/YQLbwOGT8eM)? And if so, shouldn’t you be wondering how it is that I’m alive?”

“Perhaps 'eradication' was the wrong word … 'harvesting' is more correct,” Raven said, nodding down a long hallway filled with small chambers. Inside each chamber as a pony, hooked up to tubes that drained their pure emotions from them.  These emotions all fed into a single tank at the center of the hive.  “We do still need to eat, you know.”

Longhaul nodded.  “It is of no surprise to see you.  We know there are bands of ponies in the forests and other hiding places throughout the lands.  We are finding them, and bringing them back here.  Just as our brother found you.”

Orion looks between the two changelings that otherwise would have been his best friend and his wife, asking “Do you remember who you were before they emptied you out and turned you into their puppet?” Raven didn’t answer, for the talking stopped as the group approached the giant doors of the changeling throne room.  

Longhaul quickly doffed his hat and stowed it away in a pouch he wore.  The doors opened and Orion was led into the chambers.

“And yet another silly pony who thought he could escape my clutches has been captured,” Chrysalis gloated.  “When will you ever learn that there is no escape from us?”

Orion chuckled humorlessly, looking up at Chrysalis. “I thought you'd run out of ways to make me sick. Hello again, Chrysalis. I suppose I was always due to see you again in some timeline or other… this one’s interesting, judging by the conversion process you’ve given my wife and friend. Oh, and the ponies in the chambers being drained. Ingenious, if disturbing.” He looks into her eyes, unafraid. “What are you going to do to me now that I’m here, hm? Torture me for information? Put me in one of those draining tubes? Either way, it won’t work. I defeated your kind time and time again, I even watched you die. And while you don’t seem to recognize me, I’ll refresh your memory: you can’t keep me caught for long. I’ll escape, defeat you again, and rid this world of your menace. What do you think?”

Chrysalis stared at Orion for what seemed like an eternity, then threw her head back and laughed, ending up on her back, rolling around in laughter, hooves flailing.  She began to compose herself, getting to her hooves and walking toward Orion.  “Oh, you are a funny one, I haven't laughed like that since Celestia said she was going to defeat me.”  Coming face to face with Orion, she hissed, “That's the only reason I'm letting you live.   I think you're a delusional little pony, possibly brain-damaged from living in that horrid forest for all this time.  Much like that zebra leading that pathetic resistance effort.”  She walks back to her throne.  “Tell you what … you tell me where to find her, and I'll grant you anything you want.  Except your freedom, of course.”

“Not a chance,” Orion replies simply. “I haven’t been living in a forest, and I certainly don’t know of any zebras. And if you think I’m lying, have one of these two,” he gestures to Raven and Longhaul, “check to make sure that I’m not.”

“No need,” Chrysalis said, lighting her horn.  She directed a beam over Orion, and recoiled in horror and shock.  “Wh-what trickery is this?” she cried.  Steno morphed back into pony form.  Chrysalis glared at Steno.  “And you!  You traitor!  I will strike you down where you stand!”  Chrysalis readied her horn, a bright green glow illuminating the chamber.

 “NO!” Orion yells, creating a magical barrier around himself and Steno. “Let him go! We aren’t from this timeline, either of us. Let us go, and we can make sure that none of this ever happens!”

Chrysalis sputters with rage, then finally lets her horn go dark.  “Fine,” she says, “if it is as you say, I will allow it.”  She indicated Longhaul and Raven.  “You two, take them back to where they were found.  I warn the both of you, outworlders, that if you return you will be executed on the spot.  Now, go.”  She sat down heavily on her throne as Orion and Steno were hurriedly escorted from the chamber.

Back outside the ship, Orion gives Longhaul and Raven a hug each. Turning to her, he says “In another life, we were lovers… I hope to restore that reality, and soon. Still… better a changeling than a war-lord. See you soon, Raven.” And he re-enters the ship, Steno following along behind him.

As the ship fades from view, Raven turns to Longhaul and says, “What a strange pony.  I wonder if they're all like him in that other universe.”  Longhaul simply shrugs, and the two walk back into the hive.

* * *

Back in Coltsworth, Orion and Steno try approaching the main entrance hall from opposite sides. Orion gets there first, and points a hoof at his younger self. “Past me! See that purple unicorn over there?”

Past Orion looks about and nods, “Yes, what about her?”

“We need to stop her and we need to do it now!’ says Future Orion. “The fate of the world depends on it!”

Past Orion scoffs. “Ridiculous, the fate of Equestria hardly rests in the hooves of one pony. And besides, why should I believe you? You’re obviously an imposter.”

“Oh do be serious, I’m future you! I’ve spent the last few hours trying to stop her,” he points at Starlight, “from making her,” he points at Raven, “killing you! Me! Us!”

Past Orion just laughs some more. “Raven’s not going to kill me, she’s just a lovely mare that I happened to meet tonight. She’s absolutely safe. Aren’t you Raven?”

Raven nods.  “Of course I am, Orion. And, if it weren't for the encouragement of my new friend, I wouldn't have the courage to do this.”  Orion and Steno look up in horror to see Starlight standing outside, waving and grinning evilly right before she vanishes.  Orion and Steno both roll their eyes in exasperation as the jump back into their ship.

* * *

Stepping out into the crisp night air, Orion and Steno look around.  “Hm, everything looks fairly benign, nothing coming immediately to kill us at least.  So, I wonder what my most recent death has changed about dear old Equestria?”

Steno looks up and blanches.  He points skyward.  “That might be it, if I had to guess.” Steno is pointing to the full moon.  The moon has the silhouette of a pony on it's full face, and streaks of pastel pink, green, and blue reflected in the glow.  

A loud crunch sounds behind the two.  Steno turns.  “Uh oh.”

Orion maintains a deadpan expression.  “Let me guess.  Nightmare Moon is the one we're facing next.”

Steno nods, just as expressionless.  “Yup.”

“Bat ponies behind us with spears?”

“Just arrived.”

Orion pauses for a beat.  “Bring it on.”

The bat-ponies are in fact two, a male and a female, who appear to be bat-pony versions of Longhaul  and Raven. They surround the two, and Raven proclaims, “Well well well, what have we here… a couple of ponies out past curfew. Shall we take them in to let Queen Nightmare Moon have their way with them, Sgt. Longhaul?”

“Yes, let's do.  Her Highness was complaining about being bored, this might amuse her for a while.”  Steno and Orion, both well-practiced at this by now, surrender wordlessly and are marched off toward the Castle of the Two Sisters.

* * *

The guards deposit the two in the [throne room](https://orig14.deviantart.net/25e8/f/2017/177/f/c/nightmare_moon_s_throne_by_drakizora-dbe5o73.png) and hastily exit.  Looking around the room, Steno and Orion notice that the tapestries depicting Princess Celestia are ripped and rendered practically unrecognizable.  One throne remains on the raised area, seemingly built over the charred remains of a smaller throne. It isn't long before what little light there is begins to dim, and a dark cloud moves across the room to the throne, solidifying in the form of Nightmare Moon.  She laughs.  “Well well … playthings for my amusement.  How kind of you both.  And what were you two doing out past curfew anyway?”

Orion just looks bored, having saved most of his ire for Chrysalis. “Oh, you know, exploring, getting the lay of the land, being caught by yet more alternate versions of ponies I know and love… I’m Orion, you might not remember me from the Summer Sun Celebration, but that’s okay, this reality shouldn’t exist anyway.” He sighs. “What can I do for you, Nightmare Moon? Or may I call you Luna?”

“How do you know that name?” Nightmare thundered.  “Nopony in these lands knows that name!”  She walks down to Orion.  She studies him closely.  “Explain your comment, 'this reality'.  Are you saying you come from a different plane of existence?”

Orion nods. “Yes I am. And in that plane of existence, you were Luna, and we were the best of friends. We were each other’s best and closest advisors. You cared for me in my times of need, and I did the same for you. Doesn’t that sound like a nice way to spend existence? Enjoying the magic of friendship?”

Nightmare snorts.  “Hmph.  Friendship means nothing to me.  Magic, however … whatever spell brought you here is a powerful one.  It is a power even I do not have.  This will not stand.”  Grabbing Steno with her magic she snarls, “Give me the secret of this spell and I will grant your friend the right to continue breathing.”

Steno eyerolls.  “Oh sure.  He has the spell and I'm the one getting killed for it.  Oh, this is fair,” he says snarkily.

Nightmare pokes Steno with a hoof.  “Quiet, you.  Now then, what is your answer?” she asks Orion.

“I’m glad you asked.” He takes Steno’s hoof. “RUN!” And the two are galloping as fast as they can toward the ship. Enraged, Nightmare Moon grabs Longhaul and Raven and chases after them, her muzzle curled up in a snarl. “GIVE ME THAT SPELL OR I’LL KILL YOU BOTH!” she shouts in the Royal Canterlot Voice.

Firing off a series of magic bolts to slow their pursuers, Orion and Steno reach their ship and vanish just in time. 

* * *

The battle rages between Orion and Starlight, sending them through different realities.  In one, Lord Tirek lays waste to Equestria unopposed by anypony.  In another, Discord rules over the land.  In yet another, everyone is a colorful teenage human attending or working at a high school. Reality after reality blinks by until, having enough, Orion grabs Starlight and whisks her away to the next reality.

The three stand on a landscape devoid of any plant or animal life.  Skeletons of trees stand here and there, limbs creaking and snapping in the relentless wind that blights the land.  Dust devils churn in the distance, and the sky is a hazy brown color.

“What is this place?” Starlight says over the noise of the wind.  “Where have you brought me?”

“Equestria,” Orion says coldly. “If this ridiculous plan of yours bears fruit. This is your victory, Starlight Glimmer. You want equality, do you? Well.. I’m not sure being the only pony left alive is enough to qualify, but if you like…” He gestures around to the world around them. “No life signs anywhere. Every pony and every thing that ever lived here is dead. So, tell me… was it worth it? Are you happy now?”

“I was happy before you ruined everything I built!” Starlight screamed.  “Everything was going perfect until you started snooping around!  You destroyed our perfect society!  If this is anypony's fault, it's yours, Orion Shadow!”

“Or is it?” Orion counters. “Something must have happened in your past to make you form that society of yours in the first place! How about showing us what it was? Because if you do, then maybe, just maybe, we can put this all to right after all!”

“Fine!  You want to know what happened to me?  I'll show you!”  In a flash, the three are transported back in time via the spell.  They watch a young colt and filly at play.

“That's Sunburst,” Starlight explained.  “Sunburst and I did everything together.  I don't remember us ever being apart … until now.”  During the course of their playing, a stack of books is knocked into, threatening to fall on top of Starlight.  She screams and covers up, only to see that Sunburst had stopped the books with his magic.  After re-stacking the books so they wouldn't fall again, the other ponies noticed that Sunburst had his cutie mark. The scene flashes forward, and Sunburst is being helped into a carriage by his parents, as Starlight watches from a distance, her eye wet with tears.  “Once his parents recognized his talents, they shipped him off to Canterlot and I never saw him again.  I lost the love of my life to a cutie mark!  I never fell in love with anypony after that because I was always afraid a cutie mark would take them away from me, too!”

“Well, I have an idea,” Orion says, and he places a hoof on Starlight’s shoulder. “Do you know where he lives now?"

Starlight sniffles.  “I think so … last I knew he was still doing research work in Canterlot.  I found an address for a pony with the same name, but I'm not sure if it's really him or not.”

Orion smiles. "Only one way to find out!” And he whisks Starlight to Canterlot via the ship.

* * *

Some time later, Orion, Steno, and Starlight trot together toward the house Starlight had mentioned. Orion knocks on the door with a hoof. “Mr. Sunburst? Is there a Mr. Sunburst here? There’s somepony who wishes very much to see you again!”

The door opens and Sunburst looked out at the ponies standing on his doorstep.  He recognized one of the ponies in particular.  He blinked, and rubbed his eyes.  “Starlight?  Is that you after all this time?” he asked, tears welling up in his eyes.  Starlight nodded, barely holding back the dam herself, and the two embraced for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

Reluctantly breaking the embrace, Starlight turned to Orion and Steno.  “Thank you for what you've done … and I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you.”

Orion smiles. “You’re welcome. And I accept your apology. If you two pardon me, I have a love of my own to get back to.”

* * *

A while later, Orion has finished recounting the entire tale to Raven. “…So in the end, I heard you’d become a warlord, and saw you as a changeling and a bat pony! Can you believe it? So many different versions of you! But…” He smiles and embraces her, “There’s only one that I love.”

“Aw, that's so sweet,” Raven said, giving Orion a smooch on the nose.  “So, what happened with Starlight and Sunburst?  Are they staying together?”

Orion nods, “She just sent me this letter: ‘Dear Orion, I can’t thank you enough for what you did for us. Sunburst told me he spent years waiting for me, because there wasn’t any pony else he could ever love. We’re already engaged and soon we plan to marry each other. Come visit any time! Your friend, Starlight Glimmer.”

“How sweet!” Raven said. A photo fell from the envelope.  “Aw, they make such a cute couple!” Raven exclaimed, showing the [snapshot](http://goo.gl/ftUKo8) to Orion.  “I hope they end up like we did, living in happiness.  Without the whole 'fate of Equestria in their hooves' thing, of course.”

“Naturally!” Orion says with a smile, placing the photo on the mantelpiece. “That kind of a job is too much even for one couple, let alone two.” He smiles at Raven. “And now with that over, you and I can relax.” He kisses her, “I love you, Raven Shadow."

“And I love you, Orion Shadow.”  Raven returned the kiss and snuggled close to her husband.

Unbeknownst to either of them, a pair of yellow eyes watched them from a painting. And miles away in Moscolt, a rupture in the universe opened. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally written shortly after the Cutie Remark episode aired, this story was thought lost until very recently, when I found it while searching for something entirely different. Obviously, the Doctor Who references are many in this one, since Orion was supposed to be an 11 expy.


	4. Resurgence of the Changelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Onyx comes up with a new scheme to destroy the Shadow family, and Discord is so concerned that he brings in others to help save the day: Gemini, Twilight, Sunset, and Emerald from the human world, and the Dazzlings from the USS Endeavour, plus Dr. Dustin Hoofer. Based upon the season 6 finale, "To Where and Back Again."

Raven smiled as she packed the last of her suitcases into the carriage. She would be traveling to the city of Las Pegasus to perform at the hotel formerly owned by Elvis P. Gladmane as their magician in residence.

“Just about ready to go then, are you?” asked Orion, coming out to the front yard. He was dressed impeccably in his usual tweed jacket and bowtie combo.

Raven nodded. “Ready for a week of fun, games, and more magic than you can shake a horn at!”

Orion chuckled and smiled, giving the purple earth pony a warm hug. “Have a nice trip, darling,” he said. “I’ll miss you!”

“You miss me when I go out to the market to do shopping,” Raven teases, kissing Orion full on the muzzle. “Don’t get into too much trouble, alright? I still want to have a home to come back to!”

Orion laughed. “Oh, you worry too much. It’s October! Nopony tries to end the world in October! What could possibly go wrong?”

“Everything,” Raven replied immediately, and she climbed into the carriage. “So long, sweetie!”

“See you in a week, magical mystery mare,” Orion replies, waving. The ponies pulling the carriage hitch themselves on and off it goes, heading off into the morning sun.

* * *

A week later, Raven returns from her trip to find Ponyville is bustling as always. Ponies walk around, talking and laughing merrily. Raven climbs out of the carriage and trots up to the front door of Shadowfall, pushing it open. “Orion? I’m home!” she calls out.

There’s the sound of hooves on the stairs and Orion comes down, wearing a business suit and a normal necktie. “About time you turned up,” he says haughtily. “There’s a huge mess in the kitchen that needs cleaning, I suggest you get to work immediately.” His horn glows bright green and he tosses a maid’s outfit in Raven’s direction. “Once you’ve dressed, that is.”

Raven looks between Orion and the maid outfit, thunderstruck. “…A mess in the kitchen?! Orion, what’s gotten into you? You’re my husband, not the CEO of some major corporation! And you’re certainly not the kind of pony who goes around ordering ponies to do things! Besides, we have Cassius and Steno! Why can’t they clean it up?”

“Because you’re an earth pony,” Orion replies, advancing on Raven with a malicious glint in his eye. “And earth ponies were bred to do hard labor, as we know from the days of Chancellor Pudding Head and Smart Cookie. Meanwhile, unicorns like myself were meant to rule over the earth ponies and the pegasi with an iron hoof.” He smiled darkly. “Go clean up that mess, Raven. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of your suitcases.”

“Go to Tartarus,” Raven shouted, throwing the maid uniform in Orion’s face. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I’m gonna find out!” She runs off as fast as she can, headed toward the Palace of Friendship. Once she gets there, she hurriedly knocks. “Twilight? Hello? Open up! I need your help!”

A hatch slides open, revealing Spike. “What do you want? Twilight's very busy!”

“Spike, I really need to speak with her,” Raven says urgently. “It’s about Orion! He’s acting really weird!”

“Make an appointment! She's a princess, after all!” Spike responds harshly, and the hatch slides closed.

A few seconds later, the door opens properly. “Sorry about that, I think a certain dragon didn't get his nap today,” Twilight says, frowning over at Spike.

Spike rolls his eyes. “Yeah, right. Whatever.”

Twilight smiles apologetically. “Sorry. He's been acting a little off all day. I think he missed a meal or something.”

Raven nods. “He's not the only one. Orion’s acting really strange today.”

Twilight nods too, looking unconcerned. “Yes, it's definitely been one of those days! How are you?”

Raven shrugs, “Rotten. Orion came to meet me when I got home and said I needed to clean up the kitchen, as if I was his servant or something!”

Twilight whistles. “Wow, you should definitely never go back to him,” she advises. “What a jerk!”

Raven blinks, completely thrown for a loop. “What?!”

Twilight nods. “It sounds like you’re in an abusive relationship, I'd cut my losses.”

Raven frowns. That's... surprising advice, coming from you.”

Twilight smiles. “Trust me. I'm the Princess of Friendship. You don't need that pony, you can always make more friends! And speaking of friends, if you'll excuse me, important business to attend to!” She flies off toward Shadowfall, and Spike rudely shoves Raven out the front door of the castle.

* * *

That night, Raven is asleep in one of the town inns, dreaming. In the dream, she’s walking back toward Shadowfall. The surrounding area is empty and filled with passing tumbleweeds. Raven opens the door and goes inside, looking around. “Orion? I’m here to get my stuff… I’m moving out!”

“Oh, are you?” says a cold voice. Orion comes down the stairs again, still haughty. “That’s funny, I don’t recall giving you permission.”

“I don’t need your permission to do anything!” Raven shouts. “I’m my own mare! I married you because I thought you would protect me, but I guess I was wrong!”

Orion levels his horn at her. “You’ll stay right where you are,” he snaps, his horn flaring bright green. Ropes and chains appear around Raven’s hooves, keeping her from moving. “As of now you are no longer my wife, but my servant. As you were bred to be.”

“You aren't acting like yourself,” Raven shouts at him. “Something is wrong!” A wind blows and Orion disappears, as do the ropes and chains. Raven blinks. “I’m… dreaming?” she realizes.

“Indeed you are, Raven Sable,” a voice says. Princess Luna steps into the room. “It’s lucky I found you when I did… you are the only one who can help us.”

“Help? What are you talking about?” Raven asks, looking confused.

Luna looks around quickly. “I don’t have much time, for they’ve taken my sister and I, and Orion too! It's worse than the last time! Your dream called to me, and I was able to break through! You must find help!”

“What are you saying?! Who's taken you?!” Raven exclaims, panicking.

Luna speaks even faster now, “Be careful who you trust! You need all the help you can find! The changelings have returned and-“ She gasps and is pulled away abruptly by a pair of chitinous, hole-filled hooves.

Raven jerks awake, her body drenched in cold sweat. “They’re back!” Thinking quickly, Raven throws on her magician’s hat and cloak and takes off into the night, toward Shadowfall. Once there, she lets herself in and goes toward Steno Pad’s room, knocking on the door quickly.

“Steno, it’s Raven! You gotta open up, we’re all in danger!”

The door flies open abruptly and Raven is rudely dragged inside. The door slams and Steno, in changeling form, stares menacingly at Raven. “look, I don’t know who sent you, and quite frankly, I don’t care! I’ve told you all once before, I am NOT returning to that hive!” His horn starts to glow. “Now … any last words before I squash you?”

"Before I married Orion, I tried to kill him instead but changed my mind at the last minute because he was nice to me!" Raven says in a rush. Only the real Raven would know that, she figured, and since she -was- the real Raven, she knew that Steno would know it really was her.

Steno’s horn ceased it’s menacing glow. He walked over to Raven and hugged her. “Thank Celestia it’s really you! For the past three days now, changeling agents have been coming here, trying to capture me or ‘convince’ me to return to the hive.” He chuckled. “Luckily for me, not one of them had any detailed knowledge of Raven’s life. Even the most mundane questions stumped them.” He glanced around, then whispered, “What have you heard?”

"Not much," Raven replies, hugging back. "Just that Orion and the Princesses have been captured, probably the Element Bearers too... I can't deal with this! I'm just a performer! This is... This is Orion-level stuff! But the changelings have him and all the princesses... We're doomed!"

“No, we’re not doomed,” Steno said reassuringly. I know there’s a way to rescue everypony and I suspect that, if the Elements have indeed been captured, there’s at least one other that would stop at nothing to rescue at least one of them.” He cracks the door to his room open and looks around. “Good, they’re all preoccupied. Let’s start the enlistment drive. Come on.” The two of them slip out of the mansion and make their way through the town.

* * *

“They have Fluttershy?” hissed a very agitated draconequus, more at hearing that his closest friend was taken by the changelings and a little bit at having his twenty-two-and-a-half-hour beauty nap interrupted. “You have proof of this, I suppose, since I know you wouldn’t want to even joke about something like that with me.”

“They’ve taken all of the ponies with even the slightest hint of power, even Raven’s husband,” Steno, in pony form, explained. “I think with Orion it was more of fulfilling a vendetta, but the fact remains that the princesses and the Elements have been captured!”

"Then there's simply no time to lose," Discord announces. "I'll go rustle up some help. Be right baaaaaack!"

* * *

In the human world, Gem, Sunset, Twilight and Emerald are sitting in the kitchen, working on homework. The TV plays quietly in the background.

"Sunset, I don't suppose you've heard from Twilight lately?" Gem asks, as she consults her history book then writes something down on a piece of paper in elegant handwriting.

“Not for a few days now,” Sunset replied, “and that’s most unusual for her. I normally get at least a small note or something, just saying hello or wishing me a good day.”

With a bright flash, Discord the draconequus stands in Gem’s kitchen. “Oh good, I think I found the right dimension this time. Would one of you be Gemini Shadow?” he asks.

Gem raises her hand. "That would be me," she says politely. Then she thinks. "You sound rather a lot like Q... but of course, you can't be the same person! That would be silly. May I ask why you have come, and what you want me for?"

With a snap of his fingers, Discord transforms into the humanoid version of Q. “I have no idea how you’ve heard of me, but yes, I am he. I have come because a great crisis has befallen our dear Equestria, and I need you and Miss Shimmer to help, or you will never see your beloved Twilight ever again!”

Sunset blinks. “Discord? Last I heard of you, you were a statue in the palace gardens that once made a little attempt to overthrow the princesses….” Her voice trailed off.

“Yes yes, ancient history, now reformed, yada yada … what’s important here is they’ve taken my beloved Fluttershy...” He sniffled and blew his nose into a magically-conjured handkerchief. “Oh, and they have the princesses and your friends too.”

"Then there's no time to lose!" Gem exclaims. "Girls, homework can wait! We have friends to rescue! To the portal!"

"No need," Discord says. "I can take you there in a snap!" And he does, transporting the five of them from Gem's kitchen to the kitchen of Equestria's Shadowfall.

Gem shakes her head a few times. "That was rather... abrupt. But at least we're somewhere familiar!"

Twilight is looking around in sheer astonishment at all the various knick-knacks and pieces of furniture, all of them designed for pony use rather than human. "It looks just like Gem's house... I knew the multi-verse theory was true, I just knew it!"

"How come we're still human though?" Emerald wonders. "When I came here accidentally during the Games, I got turned into a pony!"

“Chaos magic,” Discord, back in draconequus form, said as he floated by. Not only is it keeping you in human form, but also preventing your detection by the changelings for the time being.”

“Changelings?” Gem and Sunset said in unison.

“What the heck are changelings?” Twilight asked.

Discord sighed. “Don’t they teach you kids anything in that school of yours?” Instantly, the girls are transported to a classroom. Discord, in full professorial robes and mortarboard perched atop his head, points to a chalkboard with a wooden pointer. “Changelings are creatures, mainly insect in nature, that can change their physical form into that of something else. Mister Steno, would you demonstrate?” Steno nods, and in a burst of green flame, changes into his changeling self. “Note the chitin around the abdomen and thorax, the holes in the wings and body appendages, and the compound eyes,” continued Discord, pointing to all of these elements.

"We primarily feed on love," Steno adds. "And finding love is surprisingly difficult. Many moons ago, we invaded Canterlot during the Royal Wedding of Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, intending to use her as the stepping stone to conquering Equestria. Then we were defeated, laid low for a bit, and invaded Ponyville not long ago, only to be defeated yet again by Orion and the Princesses."

The classroom disappears. "And that brings us up to now," Discord says. "I'll leave you four to plan, I have one more stop to make." And with a snap of his claws, he is gone again.

* * *

The USS Endeavour speeds along to its next destination. Gem is in her ready room, recording a log entry. _“Captain’s log, stardate 81498.5: We are en-route to the planet Metebelis Three, a world in the Acteon Galaxy known for its blue crystals, which can break any form of mind control or other forms of hypnosis. The recent encounter with the resurrected Queen Chrysalis and her changelings has shaken the entire crew, lowering morale significantly. Nevertheless, our mission continues.”_

Gem steps onto the bridge and takes the center seat, adjusting her tunic as she does so. “Report please, Miss Dusk!”

“Current speed is warp 8.5, Captain,” Sonata says. “We’ll reach Metebelis III in approximately 20 minutes.”

Gem nodded. “Excellent news.” She turns to Raven. “Commander, please go down to sickbay and bring a few hazmat suits, we’ll need them to survive in the semi-radioactive atmosphere of the planet. You’ll join Miss Dazzle and myself in the transporter room after.”

Raven nodded and got up at once. "As you command, Captain." And off she went toward the turbolift.

The turbolift doors open to reveal Q dressed as a captain in the Marine Corps. He strides out onto the bridge. “Troops! There is a grave crisis back on our home world, and only you can help! Well, I did recruit some others from another universe, but for the most part, I need brave volunteers to fight the changelings back on Equestria and save the princesses and the Elements of Harmony! Who’s with me?”

The Dazzlings raise their hands as one. "We'll go," Adagio says, speaking for all three of them.

"Can we take Dustin too?" Sonata asks. "There might be injured, and they'll need someone who can tend to pony and human bodies with no problems! Besides..." She blushes. "Having him around made the last encounter with changelings a little more bearable."

K'bleh, who is nearby, looks to Adagio. "I request to join you on the away team, Commander," she says. "I would dearly love to taste changeling blood once more!"

"Request denied, lieutenant," Adagio says. "I'm sorry, but the Captain will need you here to act as my replacement on the Metebelis mission."

Gem taps her combadge. "Captain to sickbay: Dr. Hoofer, your presence is requested on the bridge. Immediately, please. Shadow out."

A few minutes later, Dustin bursts through the turbolift doors. “Okay, who’s dying?” He stops and looks around. “Uncle D? What the blue blazes are you doing here?”

“It’s good to see you too, Dustin,” Q said, nonplussed. “Short story is the changelings in a past timeline have captured the princesses and the Elements of Harmony, along with Orion and who knows how many others. I need help to free them. The girls here want you to come along. What do you say?”

“Like you had to ask,” Dustin said. “After what those bastards did to me? You bet I’m in.” He goes and stands with the siren sisters. “When do we leave?”

“Right now.” Q snaps his fingers, and the four are transported back to the kitchen in Shadowfall.

* * *

"Girls!" Gem says happily, moving to hug the three sirens once they appear, then stops. "Wait... you're from the future, aren't you? I met your captain once, we were looking for Princess Celestia's hairbrush at the time."

"I promise not to freak you out while wearing a cow costume," Emerald says, remembering the incident. "But the look on Future Sunset's face was priceless!"

Gem looks over at Dustin and stares at him. "You look like a younger version of our bus driver... who are you, exactly?"

“Doctor Dustin Hoofer, son of Longhaul, at your service,” he says with a theatrical bow. “And it’s nice to know my rugged good looks translate across time and space.” Sonata gives him a good-natured whack on the arm. “May I introduce my fiancee, Lieutenant Sonata Dusk?” he says, rubbing the sore spot.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Gem says happily. "I only wish it was under better circumstances."

"No kidding," Raven says, trotting into the room and gazing around at the eight humans now standing in her kitchen. "I remember you Gem, even though you're usually a pony when you visit. Same with you, Sunset. I guess that's your Twilight, and..." She blinks, looking to Emerald. "Who are you?"

"Name's Emerald Wave," says she. "I'm Twilight's girlfriend."

"Now that we're all acquainted," Steno says, "I propose we head to the hive ASAP. But we'll have to be careful, lest we get captured."

"I agree," Gem says, standing up and adjusting her blouse. She takes out the necklace with her cutie mark on it and puts it on. "I also propose that we set up a code phrase, so that if one of us does get captured, we can tell who's real and who isn't."

“Good course of action,” Adagio says. She looks around at the group. “How about, ‘Starfleet students’? It identifies most of us here and should be easy to remember.”

Twilight nods. “That sounds fine.” She puts the necklace with her cutie mark on. “This is gonna be bigger than Camp Everfree, isn’t it?” she whispered to Gem.

"Much," Gem whispers back, as Sunset and Emerald put their own necklaces on. "We'll be fighting for our lives, girls. Ours, and the lives of the hundreds of thousands of ponies who now live in fear of a changeling takeover, and of course, the powerful ponies we are all connected to, in more ways than one." She looks over at a picture of Orion hanging on the wall, then takes out her magic screwdriver. "Steno, lead on please."

* * *

The two quadrupeds and the eight bipeds began traveling south by train to the Badlands, where the changeling lands were located. Gem, Raven, Steno, Dustin, and Sunset sat in one car, while Adagio, Sonata, Aria, Twilight, and Emerald were in the other.

"It's nice that we get two cars to ourselves," Gem was saying. "Makes it much easier to plan for the fight ahead." She looks to Dustin. "Adagio said you've fought them just recently. Is there anything we should know as far as tactics are concerned?"

“Yes,” Dustin replied. “The best thing you can do is keep your suspicion turned up to 11. Trust no one and no thing. Although I can’t say for sure if these changelings use the same tactics as the Founders, a changeling could be anyone or anything you see.” He takes out a tricorder and scans around the car, then over his travel companions. “This car is clean, and Adagio swept the other one and found the same result. Anypony or anyone that’s being overly nice to you is most likely a changeling. I learned that as a boy, when they tried to kidnap me on the way to school one day. It appears that, after all these years, they never dropped that tactic.”

“Always use the check phrase if you get separated from your partner,” Sonata added. “Start it and let your partner finish it. If they can’t, or won’t, get away from there fast.”

Dustin stares hard at Gem. “Forgive me, but looking at you is like seeing my captain’s twin. And I value my captain like a sister, after all we’ve been through together.”

Gem chuckles. "Having met her briefly, I can't say I'm surprised... and like all twins, I am sure there are things that are different between us." She holds her hand to Dustin's own, and they are about equal in size, though Gem's fingers are slimmer. "I, for example, was born male and transitioned to female when I started at Canterlot High. She, I believe, has been genetically female all her life. I'm a little jealous, to tell you the truth." She smirks a bit. "I never got to be raised as a girl, but my father is doing the best he can to correct that now, and I am grateful." A thought hits her. "Do they have people like me in your time, Dustin?"

Dustin nods. “We do have people that wish to transition, and we accommodate them as best as we can in making the process smooth. Most roles are gender-neutral in my time. There is no distinction between male versus female in who can do what job, it’s all based on ability.”

“So people like Gem and I aren’t demonized or discriminated against?” Emerald asked.

“Not at all,” Dustin answered. “Our time has become a more enlightened age in terms of things like that. We value the person, as a whole, rather than their appearance or what they were born as.”

"What a relief," say Gem and Emerald together.

* * *

“I really can’t thank you enough for helping us,” Raven said, placing a hoof on Gem’s hand. “It’s really nice of you.”

Gem smiled and ran her fingers through Raven’s mane. “It’s my pleasure! Orion is one of the bravest ponies I’ve ever heard of, he doesn’t deserve to be made prisoner like this.” She thinks for a moment. “You know, I sometimes forget that he’s my equivalent in this world… we couldn’t be any more different.”

“I don’t think so,” Raven said, smiling a little herself. “You’re both determined to do the right thing, and more than willing to put yourselves in danger if it means helping others to survive… I saw that in him when I met him all those years ago in Trottingham, and I see it in you too.”

“Do you ever worry about him?” Gem asks. “my Raven worries all the time, but she never shows it.’

Raven nods. “Absolutely… whenever he goes out on one of his missions, part of me wonders if it’ll be the last time I see him… resourceful though he is, there’ve been a lot of opportunities for him to get killed. But he hasn’t yet, so there’s hope.” She looks down at her hooves. “I only hope I can live up to that… I don’t think i can.”

Gem gave Raven a hug. “Of course you can,” she said bracingly. “You don’t need unicorn magic to save the day. Just smarts, and good friends to fight alongside you. And you have both of those in abundance!”

Raven smiled. “You know what? You’re right. Thanks, Gem.”

“You’re welcome,” Gem replied, and the train sped on.

* * *

After a couple hours, the train slows to a stop outside Dodge Junction station. "Well, this is our stop," Steno announces, stretching his hooves and wings. "Alright everyone, let's get… going..." He stops. "Oh no..."

The station is filled with changelings, all of whom are hissing loudly and staring at the two compartments containing the rescue party.

Gem sighs, and looks to her friends, then to the the Starfleeters, then to Raven and Steno. "When I say run, run," she orders.

The compartment door bangs open as four drones destroy it with their magic and launch themselves on the group. Gem points her screwdriver at them and turns it on, producing a loud whirring noise to stun their senses. "RUN! I'll hold them off and catch you up later!" Right as she says that, a fifth drone darts out from behind and places its fangs into her neck, knocking her out cold.

* * *

Dustin watched as Gem fell under the onslaught of the changelings, and shook his head as she was carried away by a swarm of drones. The remainder of the attack force surrounded the group. “Dammit! Circle the wagons!” he commanded. Instantly, the three Starfleet sirens moved the remaining girls, Raven, and Steno into the center of a protective box, which was flanked by Dustin, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata. Emerald threw up a defensive shield around them, leaving the Starfleet officers open. Discord had snapped away at the changelings’ charge.

“Phasers on deep stun, wide-angle!” The three made their changes as the changelings slowly approached. As Dustin yelled, “FIRE!”, bright red bursts emitted from each of their phasers, dropping the changelings in their tracks, others floating own from the sky. All lay in a heap, not moving.

Dustin exhaled heavily as he holstered his phaser. He turned to Sunset and Twilight as Emerald dropped her shield. “Tell me, ladies, is it something about the name ‘Gem’ that causes women named such to run headlong into trouble and get captured, leaving poor, traumatized souls such as myself to have to save them yet again?” he asked, a touch of annoyance in his voice.

Sunset shrugged. “I dunno, she’s always been the strong, take-charge type,” she replied.

“She’s about to become the changeling type unless we get her out of there,” Adagio observed.

“I think I just found my next doctoral paper,” Dustin said. “Okay, enough of that, we need to get into the hive, bust out the capt—err, Gem, and get everyone to safety while eliminating the leader and the hive. Any thoughts?” Dustin looked around at the assembled group.

“I can get us in the hive, but after that I couldn’t tell you what to do,” Steno said apologetically.

“Look!” Twilight said, pointing in the distance. An eagle talon waved to them, and Discord poked his head out from behind a rock. The group ran down to join him.

“The changeling hive’s not too far away,” Discord said, pointing to the structure in the distance and passing Dustin a pair of binoculars he had conjured up. Dustin looked. Guards buzzed around it from all angles. Large rocks were strewn about on the desert floor.

Dustin passed the binoculars around so everyone could look. “Gonna be a long walk,” he said.

Raven looked at Discord. “Maybe we won’t have to,” she said. “Discord, can you teleport all of us into the hive from here?”

Steno shook his head. “It won’t work...”

Discord clucked his tongue. “Nonsense, it’ll be a snap.” And with a snap of his fingers, Discord teleported everyone to the very edge of the changeling hive. He blinks. “Hm, I had picked a spot inside the hive.” He conjured up a small ball, made of magic, and tossed it at the hive. The ball vanished a few feet in front of them, returning to nothingness.

“I told you,” Steno said, “there’s a defensive shield around the entire hive and out for a distance. Only changeling magic can penetrate it.”

“So, how do we get in there and rescue Gem?” Sonata asked.

“Looks like we’ll have to hoof it,” Sunset said, then stopped abruptly. “Um, no offense, Raven.”

Raven smiled. “None taken, dear. I guess we should get moving, then.” The group filed out, keeping behind the rocks to avoid being seen.

* * *

Gem awoke to find herself ensconced within a large, green cocoon filled with a thick, viscous liquid that felt a little like syrup. She could just make out the forms of others, equines, but no humans yet. Except for herself. She also noticed she was completely naked, and her magic screwdriver was missing.

"The creature is awake, sir," chittered a drone to his superior, a changeling in blue armor.

The armored changeling smiled. "Excellent. I shall inform His Majesty immediately.” The commander flew off.

* * *

"So this is what the changeling hive looks like," Raven says as they go. "Orion wrote to me about it when he was the ambassador here, but it's different seeing it in person."

"It's a good thing I'm here," Steno says. "Or else you guys would all get lost. The architecture changes all the time, only we can find the way through. But that doesn't mean finding Gem will be easy... knowing Onyx, he probably has her cocooned somewhere."

“So, all we have to do is find the correct chamber, smash Gem and the others out of their cocoons, and do away with the changeling leader.” Dustin nodded his head. “Sounds simple enough.”

“You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, Dustin,” Sonata said, kissing his cheek.

“Okay, no more old cartoons for you,” Dustin said with a grin. “So … anyone got a plan?”

Sunset laughed and did her best impression of Gem. "A plan? Us? Oh goodness no, we just go in there and improvise, don't we girls?" The other Earthers all nod collectively.

* * *

Gem is extracted from her cocoon and thrown roughly to the ground. "Ow!" she exclaims, flinching in pain. "That was entirely uncalled for!"

“I alone decide what’s ‘called for’ around here,” a resonant voice commanded. “Allow me to introduce myself...” A tall changeling stepped out of the shadows, wings buzzing angrily. “I am Onyx, king of the changelings.” He studies Gem carefully. “And what, pray tell, are you? Some kind of monkey?”

"Almost," Gem says, getting up. "A human, actually, though we evolved from apes... so you were close. My name is Gemini. I'd say it's nice to meet you, but it's not nice to lie." She frowns. "Why have you captured me? I have done nothing to you!"

“What you have done or haven’t done is of no concern to me, hew-man Gemini,” Onyx rumbled. “You had the misfortune to be dragged here at a time when the changelings are about to take their rightful place as rulers of this little world, and all shall either conform to our ways … or become food.” He approached Gem slowly, circling her. “Normally I would have left you in the cocoon, to provide sustenance for my hive. But, I sense there’s something special about you … yes, you will do very nicely.”

Gem shivers, not entirely from the cold. "I'm a girl, not a science experiment!" she shouts, trying to keep the fear from her voice and failing. "Don't touch me!"

A bolt of green shoots from Onyx’s horn, connecting with Gem’s forehead. “Relax...” he said in a calming tone. “You will not be harmed, unless you resist. I have a simple task for you. Bring me your friends.”

"No... I... I..." Gem tries, attempting to fight against the voice whispering in her head to do whatever it was she was told. "I... will not betray them... you cannot make me... please..." Sweat pours down her body with the effort.

“I don’t have to make you,” Onyx said with a sadistic smile. “Soon, you will have no choice.” The beam stops, and Gem collapses to the ground. “The seeds have been planted, and soon, you will become one of us.” Onyx laughs as he walks out of the chamber and Gem is loaded into a fresh cocoon. “Such a strong mind this hew-man has … I can’t wait to have it under my complete control.” He returns to his throne room.

* * *

“Down!” Steno hissed. The group took cover as another patrol passed by. The group was along one of the walls near what appeared to be the main entrance. Smaller openings appeared at random along the wall.

“The openings keep shifting in size,” Twilight observed. “How are we going to be able to slip inside if we can’t fit?”

"If Gem was here, she could use one of her time spells to freeze time around one of the larger openings," Emerald comments. "But since she's not... I'm not sure." She looks to the four Starfleeters, and asks Dustin "Any ideas, space man? Those guns you were toting look pretty advanced."

Adagio scanned the walls with her tricorder. “The walls are self-healing. Any phaser blast will seal itself instantly.”

“Plus,” Dustin added, “these tend to make a fair amount of noise when rock and such starts exploding, which attracts attention. That may be fine for the homecoming pep rally, but not good in the middle of enemy territory. We’ll shoot our way in if we have to, but I’d rather not have to.”

A large opening appeared behind the group. Steno hissed, “Now or never! Come on!” he ran for the opening. The rest of the group followed, once they recovered from Steno’s abrupt charge.

“At least he didn’t scream his name as he entered,” Dustin deadpanned. “Okay, Steno, which way now?”

Steno thinks and points the way northward. "This way!" And off they go.

* * *

Floating alone in her cocoon, Gem is suddenly aware of many voices, all babbling, hissing, and chittering at once. At first it doesn't make any sense to her, but gradually, everything she hears sounds like English. Her skin darkens, hardening into chitin. A green carapace forms around her middle, acting as a natural bra for her breasts.

Then she screams in pain as a pointed, hole-filled horn bursts from her forehead, and blood spurts from her mouth as her teeth shift into fangs. Insect wings burst from her back, and holes form in her limbs. Her hands thicken into claws, while her feet meld into hooves. She screams once more and cries in her cocoon, seeing enough of her reflection to know what has happened to her.

Cut once again from her cocoon, her wings buzz and she’s carried gently to the ground. “Splendid,” Onyx said, approaching her once again. “And how is my little spy drone today? He asked in a condescending voice.

"You... you MONSTER!" Gem snarls, in that multi-layered voice all changelings have. "How DARE you!" She jumps on him, fangs bared as her new instincts overwhelm her completely. "I will never be a drone of yours!"

Once again, Onyx shoots a beam of green magic from his horn connecting with Gem’s. “Such a feisty one. It will be interesting adding your kind to our hive.”

Gem falls to the ground and moans painfully. "I'll stop you! You'll never get away with this!" she says.

A guard approaches. "Your highness, seven hew-mans, a pony, and a worker drone are approaching this cavern. What do you suggest we do?"

Onyx grins. “I suggest you prepare more cocoons.” he intensified his beam and kept working on Gem.

* * *

“Are you sure we’re on the right track?” Raven asked Steno as they wandered through the maze of tunnels.

“Fairly sure. It’s been a while, but the layout looks the same,” Steno replied.

Dustin moved his tricorder around. “Well, dip me in chocolate and call me an eclair. It’s still working!”

Adagio looks over at Dustin’s readout. “Is that…?”

Dustin nods. “That’s her bio readings! They’re changing rapidly, according to this, so we’d better move. I show Gem being in this general direction.” He pointed down a long, dark corridor.

In time, hollow hooves trot down the hallway as Gem, now a mostly humanoid changeling, approaches the group with her fangs bared. Her eyes have slitted pupils, and are glowing. "I am Gemini of the changelings. Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward, you will service us. Resistance is futile." Then she flies at them, hissing angrily.

Raven screams as Twilight and Sunset pull her to the ground and cover her. Dustin and Adagio draw their phasers and crouch down. Adagio lines up a shot, and fires, but her beam misses, striking a nearby rock. Dustin watches Gem approach and fires, striking her on the shoulder. She drops to the ground, breathing slowly, as Dustin scans her. “Gem, I don’t care what universe you’re a part of, you’re gonna be the death of me yet.”

* * *

Captain Gem, somewhere on Metebelis Three, gasps in pain.

Commander Raven blinks. "Are you alright, Captain?"

Captain Gem nods. "Just a twinge of cosmic angst..."

* * *

"Can you turn her back to normal?" Sunset asks Dustin hurriedly.

Raven, meanwhile, takes several deep breaths rapidly. "What are we going to do?! If they've captured and turned her, what are they going to do to the others?!"

Dustin removes a hypospray form his belt pack and paces it against Gem’s neck. He pushes the plunger and a loud hiss is heard. “There. Now, we wait. Meantime, Big Bad Bug still needs to be stopped. And I need you to do it,” he says, addressing the small group. “Adagio, stay here and help me set up a defensive perimeter. Aria, Sonata, go with the group and see if you can stop this Onyx before things really get out of control.”

“But – but who’s gonna lead? What are we gonna do when we find him? I can’t--” Raven protested.

Sunset and Twilight knelt down next to Raven. “Raven, if you’re anything like the Raven from our world, she’s a no-nonsense, take-charge type. I know that you can do this, and believe me when I say, no matter what happens, we’re here for you.” Twilight and the others nodded.

Raven sighs. "If you say so," she says, leading the others out of the cavern and down the hall.

Adagio watches them leave. “I don’t suppose you have any shots of self-confidence or courage in that pack of yours, do you?” 

Dustin grins. “Nah, that’s sitting in a bottle on a shelf in my quarters.” He scans Gem’s unconscious body. “Good, everything’s working and we’re getting good telemetry. So, Phase One’s working as it should.” He effects a fake Germane accent. “Und now, ve make... ze magicks!” 

Adagio giggled. “You sounds like Photo Finish.” 

“Yup,” Dustin affirmed, “I remember her coming to take my class picture every year.” 

“I thought Princess Luna tutored you at the castle.” 

“She did. Easiest job Ms. Finish ever had,” Dustin said with a smile. He taps a few places on his tricorder and nods. “Okay, Gem’s scan is uploading, so it shouldn’t be long now.” 

“Aren’t we violating some kind of law about introducing advanced tech into a primitive world?” Adagio asked. 

“It’ll only be active as long as we’re here, and can’t be detected by any of the ‘normal’ medical equipment of this or Miss Gem’s time,” Dustin replied. “The Borg nanites are small enough to evade being seen even through a strong microscope. And once the link is severed, they become inert and get flushed from the body within a day or two anyway.” 

“Strange, using technology from one hivemind to eradicate the DNA overwrite of another,” Adagio said, scanning the perimeter. “And if we get visitors of the insectoid variety while we’re doing this?” 

Dustin scowled. “I know I shouldn’t let my personal feelings interfere with my command abilities, especially over an incident that technically hasn’t happened yet, but I’m through screwing around. Anything insect-like comes near, set phasers to RAID.” 

Adagio looked puzzled. “RAID?” 

“Kills bugs dead,” Dustin said with a flourish. Adagio just stared at him like he was crazy. “It’s an ancient Earth advertisement for an insecticide. Remind me to send you a link to the archive when we return to the Endeavour.” 

“I think you’ve been around the Terrans too much,” Adagio said, shaking her head. “It’s bad enough you’ve even corrupted poor Sonata. She’s spewing old Earth sayings and whatnot.” 

“Fear not, dear future sister-in-law of mine. Pretty soon, I will have both you and Aria doing the exact same thing. In due time, you will be close to my level of awesomeness.” Dustin struck a heroic pose. 

“Yeah ... that’s what frightens me,” Adagio quipped.

Dustin smirked. “See? It’s already started. Let the snark flow through you...” 

Adagio bopped Dustin lightly on the head. “For all your weirdness, you’re the best thing to happen to my sister ever since we started this crazy adventure.” 

Dustin blushed. “Aw, thanks Adagio. Y’know, you and Aria are pretty awesome too, and I’ll be glad to call you my sisters after the marriage.” Adagio smiled, and blushed a little. 

Gem moaned slightly. Dustin scanned her and checked the readings on his tricorder. “It’s starting. We can’t disturb the process, so let’s be extra vigilant now.” 

Adagio nodded, and scanned one area of the hall while Dustin alternated between the hallway and Gem. 

* * *

"Well well well, if it isn't public enemy number one's wife," Onyx says. "I remember you very well, from the time we tried to brainwash you to murder your husband. It's so good to see you again." He smiles darkly. "Come to join him as my prisoner?"

Raven glances around at the various cocoons, containing all of her friends. She sees the princesses as well, and her heart breaks seeing her beloved Orion in a special cocoon, set away from everypony else. “No,” she says, steeling her reserve, “I’m here to rescue my friends and put a stop to this madness once and for all.”

"Wise words, sweetie, but they'll never come to pass," Onyx hisses. "You'll get drained of love, just like the rest of your miserable little friends." He lights his horn, firing another beam at her, but Emerald blocks it with her shield spell and sends it ricocheting around the room, cutting the various cocoons from where they're hanging and sending them to the ground, causing them to burst open.

Raven gallops over to where Orion is standing and hugs him tight, not caring about the goo covering him. "You're okay!" she says. "I was so worried... they replaced you and everything!"

"I'm just glad they didn't try to transform you," Orion says, hugging back.

“Onyx, it doesn’t have to be this way!” Steno cried out. “The changeling race doesn’t have to rely on stealing love to survive!”

“And why should we listen to you, traitor?” Onyx sneered.

“Because I’ve been away from the hive for a long time, and yet I’ve never been hungry!” Steno exclaims. “Why? Because Orion and Raven share their love with me. It keeps me nourished and never wanting. Don’t you see? If the changelings just shared love instead of stealing it, they’d never go hungry again!”

Several of the changeling guards standing nearby listened to Steno, and began to think about what he said. Meanwhile, Sonata and Aria cut down the remaining cocoons, freeing the trapped ponies and princesses.

"You know nothing of the changelings or what it takes to be their king!" Onyx snarls at Steno. "I decide what is best for my subjects, not some mewling grub! The only thing you’ve found is what happens to those who turn their back on the hive!" His horn glows brighter than ever as he starts to take the love Steno has been given.

"I can feel the love inside me slipping away...! I can't hold onto it much longer...!" Steno gasps. Raven and Orion take his hooves, and the humans in the cavern join in, as do all the rescued ponies. They think of everything that has brought them to this point, and those they love back home. For Sunset, Twilight, and Emerald, it's their Gem. For the Dazzlings, it is their captain and the Endeavour. For Sonata in particular, it's Dustin. There is a tremendous explosion as the throne itself explodes into bits, and the throne room is destroyed.

* * *

Dustin and Adagio hear the explosion and look at each other, then back to Gem. Her skin has returned to normal and she is beginning to wake up. An emergency blanket protects her modesty. “D-did we win?” Gem asks groggily.

Dustin smiles. “Looks like everything’s going to be okay,” he reassures her.

* * *

As the throne explodes, the changelings in the room all begin to experience the shared love. Their bodies begin to glow, and brilliant cocoons wrap around them, even Steno. They begin to glow, and as the light fades, the cocoons fall away to revel the changelings have evolved into a new form – instead of a dull-gray exoskeleton, they glow with color, the holes in their appendages and horns gone, their wings whole and gossamer-thin.

Orion surveys his assistant's new look and chuckles. "You've redecorated! I rather like it!"

Onyx snarls. "This is not the end for you, Shadows! There is no revenge you could ever conceive of that will come close to what I will exact upon you one day! I WILL be back!" And he flies away, alone.

* * *

An hour later, the group are preparing to say their goodbyes. Gem smiles at Dustin. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Starfleet Dazzlings and Doctor Hoofer. Will I see you again someday?"

Dustin smiles and shakes his head. “Not unless you find a way to traverse space and time. I’m a doctor, not a time lord.”

Gem grins at him. "Well, we do have a portal back home, and my cousin once built me a time machine. You might see me again someday." She pecks his cheek then turns to her friends. "Let's go home... but the old-fashioned way." And so they walk in the direction of Twilight's castle, where the mirror portal resides.

Dustin looks at the sirens. “Unless there’s a time machine around here, I guess we’re gonna have to find a different way home.”

“Actually,” Orion says, “Twilight might be able to help you with that as well.”

* * *

_“Chief Medical Officer’s log, stardate 81502.5. We have returned from our mission, experiencing what ancient Earth people used to call ‘jet lag’, although I’m not sure if it’s the same thing when applied to traveling through different eras. Full checkups of myself and the other members of the away team revealed no abnormalities, and thus, all have been cleared to return to duty. However, I have one more task to perform.”_

Sitting in the captain’s ready room, Dustin passes over a PADD with an image taken from his tricorder. Captain Gem looks at the screen and her jaw drops.

“Dustin, if this is some sort of trick...” Gem said warningly.

“No trickery, that’s really what she looks like, Shares your name and everything.” Dustin peeked over at the picture of Teen Gem. “She’s quite the cutie, isn’t she?”

"She is," Gem says, running a finger over the image. "Like looking into a mirror... with her own versions of the girls, too..." she smiles. "It's nice to know we aren't the only ones in this big wide universe, don't you think?"

“It seems to shrink every single day.” He begins to scan the captain. “Now then … please to explain what is its with women named ‘Gem’ that draws them to give their little country doctors fits by getting into situations that almost guarantee grave bodily harm? I need this info for my next paper.”

Gem laughs. "You had best get comfy, as it begins with male equines named Orion..." And off they went into the next adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've read this far, I'd highly suggest reading the EG and New Endeavors series before this one, though if you don't, you still get some idea of what the other two series are like. The Season 6 finale already felt like something Longhaul and I would write (lots of changelings, a visit to the hive, the hive's location being in the Badlands), so adapting it came easily for us. What really helped was the fact that apart from Discord, (whose role is drastically reduced anyway) our cast of characters have nothing in common with the foursome in the episodes, which meant we didn't have to reassign canon dialogue to our characters.
> 
> Yes, I realize having Discord as a heroic character here conflicts with his villainous role in From Moscolt With Love, but so sue me. Call it an after-effect of this being written a long time after the previous entries in this series.


	5. From Moscolt With Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orion's next mission takes him to Moscolt, where he meets a female version of himself named Carrie. Meanwhile, Raven has some problems of her own to deal with.

It was night in the New Lunar Republic. Though that wasn't anything new, as it was always night there. Ponies flew about or trotted along, conducting business under the bright light of the day-moon. Princess Luna was in her private office, signing bills given to her by the Lunar Congress. In another part of the capital, called Lunaria, the Royal Academy for Gifted Unicorns was holding its yearly entrance exam. Unicorns from every city in the Republic gathered here, testing their skills in front of three judges, hoofpicked by the Princess. The tests were long and arduous, but any pony who passed them was granted admission into the prestigious school. At this moment, more than thirty ponies of varying ages waited in line for their turn.

Among this group was Carrie Shadow, of the House of Blackmane. She sat, nervously fidgeting with her hooves. This was her first attempt to get into this prestigious school and she wanted nothing to ruin that chance. She ran through her spells in her head, attempting to get every single incantation perfect.

A pony sitting beside her, a musician named Octave, smiled at her fillyhood friend. "Are you going to be okay, Car? You look so nervous!"

Carrie jumped, a small fizzle erupting from her horn. "Yes, I'm fine! All perfectly fine, honest!" She attempted to smile, which added to her odd look.

Octave laughs and gives her friend a hug. She had purple fur with a grey bass clef on her flank, and blue eyes. "You'll be okay, trust me. Just take deep breaths!"

Carrie nods, taking several deep, prolonged breaths. Eventually, Carrie's name is called. "Lady Caramella Shadow of House Blackmane, please step forward!" calls a grey unicorn stallion.

Carrie eeps, and jumps to her hooves. She slowly walks forward, standing in front of the judges' table. Swallowing nervously, she raises her head and squeaks out, "H-here..."

One of the judges, a white furred mare with a blue mane and tail, and red eyes flicks her bat-like wings. "Lady Caramella, you stand here to prove that you are worthy of admittance to this academy," she says coolly. "If accepted, you will be the first of your house to be here in the last three hundred years. Do -not- disappoint us. Show us your finest examples of spell crafting, and we will make our judgements from there. Is that understood?"

Carrie nods solemnly. "Y-yes, ma'am." She moves to the center of the room and awaits the command to begin.

The lead mare nods, and waves her hoof. "Begin."

Carrie closes her eyes and concentrates. Her horn starts to glow, getting brighter, and fizzles out. Carrie's eyes pop open, and she looks around the room frantically. Again, she scrunches her eyes closed as tight as she can, and after a brief glow from her horn. Nothing. She's visibly sweating now, dancing on her hooves, trying to focus on her first spell.

The white mare stares at her, slitted eyes narrowed in silent judgement. Octave's earlier words of encouragement come floating back to the young noblemare, reassuring her.

Carrie takes a calming breath, and gets a sly smile on her face. Letting go of her anxieties, she once agin closes her eyes. When they open, they glow as bright as the brightest full moon, her horn sparkles with energy, and the unicorn stats to levitate in the center of the room. The remaining students start to float as well, making small circles around the enclosed space. The judges look on, impassively, until they too are lifted from the ground.

The building shakes, rising from its foundation, and starts to spin, the floor becoming the ceiling, round and round. Brilliant flashes of color light up the ever-dark sky, in bursts of sparks and streams of colored lights. After a few minutes, the building rights itself and settles back on its foundation, the students and judges returning to the ground. Carrie slowly descends, flopping down on the floor, exhausted.

Stunned by the performance and impressive magical display, the three judges move into another room to discuss what they had just seen... elsewhere, Princess Luna is flying toward the school at a rapid clip, having caught sight of the calamity outside her window. She descends outside the building and goes inside, trotting toward the testing room and paying no mind to the ponies bowing to her.

Carrie lays still on the floor, gasping for breath. This spell took a lot out of her, and she's barely aware of anypony else in the room, much less the arrival of Princess Luna.

Luna spots the exhausted young mare lying on the floor, and wraps her up in her forelegs. "Be still, young one... thou art safe and unharmed," she whispers softly, beginning to stroke Carrie's back with her hoof, between her wings.

"P-Princess Luna?" Carrie asks weakly, her eyes opening slightly. She leans into the rubs, feeling safe and secure, her strength returning to her slowly. "Princess, p-p-please don't punish me...I didn't mean any harm to anypony…"

"Shh... we will not punish thee... in fact, we are quite impressed by thy display of magical prowess. We would make a request of thee."

"Why-of course, Princess, name it!" Carrie grew excited at the prospect of Princess Luna herself making a request of her!

Luna is about to reply when the judges return. "Lady Caramella, after much discussion-" begins the white mare, before she spots the Princess and bows quickly, along with the other two. "We have decided to admit you," she finishes, lamely. Luna takes that moment to say "And we would be most pleased if thou were to become our student... thou hast talent, and t'would be a shame to waste it."

Luna chuckles, floating the mare onto her back. She smiles at the judges. "We shall... take it from here. Farewell, noble deciders!" And she takes wing, flying neatly out the nearest open window, and to her private chambers in the palace.

Carrie awakens on a pile of the softest cushions she had ever felt, a gentle breeze blowing frmo the open windows in the room. She looks around, and realizes she's in Princess Luna's chambers. she takes a deep breath and softly says, "H-hello?"

Luna had been sitting on a window seat, reading a book. At Carrie's voice, she turns and smiles. "Ah! Thou art awake!"

Scrambling to her hooves, and bowing deeply, Carrie says, "Princess Luna! What happened to me? And how did I get here? The last thing I remember is being at the entrance exam for the gifted school…."

"Thou cast a spell that caused, among other things, thyself and others to float about and the building itself to spin, and the creation of fireworks. That is when I found thee, lying on the floor of the exam room. The judges have allowed thee into the school!" She trots across the room, and gives Carrie a soft hug. "And thou shall become our personal student."

"R-really? Then it .. it wasn't a dream!" Carrie hugged Princess Luna tightly. "Oh, thank you, Princess! I promise I won't let you down! I'll be the best student I possibly can!"

Luna laughs and nuzzles Carrie gently. "That is good to hear, young one! Our lessons shall begin next week!"

Carrie bounces excitedly. "Oh, my parents will be so excited when they hear the news! Ican hardly wait to start!"

"Go and tell them, then! We shall see thee soon, Lady Caramella!"

"Right away, Princess!" she says, bowing. "See you next week!" She gets up and scrambles out the door. A few minutes later, a sheepish looking Carrie returns to the chambers. "Um ... which way is the exit?" she asks, ears and cheeks reddening.

Luna giggles, and points. "That way. The guards are our own, just tell them thou hast business with us, and they shall show thee out, or in."

"Thank you, Princess." Carrie bows again, and the door closes as she departs.

Luna went to her writing desk... this warranted a letter!

Neither pony noticed the pair of yellow eyes that peeked through a softly-glowing crack in the wall. The eyes blinked and disappeared, the crack snapping shut shortly after.

* * *

It is nighttime in Ponyville. Orion's house is quiet, it seems he's the only one awake. He trots as silently as possible through the halls toward the kitchen, specifically a door just off it. He unlocks the door with his magic and trots down the staircase on the other side, which leads to another series of magically automated doors that open and close as he goes up to them. At the end of this hallway is a perfectly ordinary phone box. He goes inside, presses a few buttons, and the floor of the box drops from beneath him, sending him falling onto a cushion, and finally allowing him entrance into the vast underground facility he'd had built.

Toiling away in the large open space, an earth pony looked up and smiled when he say Orion approaching. "Ah, there you are. Sorry to summon you so late, but this came in as being very urgent. Top level from the Crown."

 Orion widens his eyes at that, trying to suppress a yawn. "You don't say," he says at last. "Well, alright... let's go and see what all the fuss is about... I assume it's a scroll?"

"When is it not?" the earth pony chuckled. "Still sealed and warm, just how you like them." He hoofed the scroll over to Orion. The seal bore the mark of the night princess and was marked "AGENT EYES ONLY."

Orion takes the scroll in his magic, smiling gratefully, and chuckling at the sight of Luna's seal. She was his best friend, after all. He opened it with magic and began to read, adjusting his glasses every so often.

The scroll reads: "Agent Virgo Shade, we apologize for yet interrupting your slumber, once again Equestria is in need of your services. Some disturbing reports have been coming from Moscolt, and we cannot be sure if this is simply old foes flexing their muscles, or a new threat that must be neutralized immediately. We are confident, however, that you are up to the task regardless. Information is spotty and we require you to travel with all haste to Moscolt. You will observe and report, using force only as necessary. As usual, should you be captured, the Crown will disavow all knowledge of your activities. More details will be sent prior to your departure in two days. Sincerely, Selene. PS- Please visit before you leave."

 Orion looks up from the letter and rolls it up, placing it into a pocket of his jacket. "Looks like I'm off to Moscolt, J. Do you need anything else from me? Selene has also said she wants me to drop by."

"At the moment, all I need from you is a departure date so I can have your latest toys ready for you," J quipped. "Other than that, I'll have your standard case ready for you. Which cover do you plan to use so I can get that prepared as well?"

"Two days from now," he says promptly. "Now, about covers... last time I was an archaeologist... but as it's Moscolt we're talking about... how about the journalist?"

"Gotcha... one set of journalist credentials coming up!" J said, scribbling notes onto a pad. "You'll be good ol' Orion Shadow, new foreign correspondent for the Manehattan Times. I'll have that all whipped up before you go. Along with your usual super-special goodies, of course."

"I look forward to it!" he says with a smile. "I'll go up to Canterlot in the morning. Goodnight J, give my best to everypony else!" He pushes a button to summon the elevator to take him back up. "Until then... off I go to sleep!"

"Get it wile you can, you're gonna need it..." J said, turing his attention back to the array of equipment in front of him.

The next day, Selene (aka Luna) sat in her private chambers in the hours just before sunset. Normally, she wouldn't be this chipper but today she had a special visitor, and for a couple of hours before she had to resume her duties, she could relax and be with her dear friend. She awaited his arrival, wondering how he would arrive this time.

A flock of ravens gather on Luna's windowsill, chittering amongst themselves. After a few moments they disperse, revealing a familiar unicorn pony! Orion tumbles into Luna's room, landing on his hooves and smiling up at his friend. "Surprise!"

Luna claps her hooves together like a filly at a magic show. "Oh, my dear Virgo, you do know how to make an entrance!" She moves to embrace her dear friend. "How have you been? And what of Raven and the foals?"

"Splendid as always!" Orion says happily, embracing Luna and nuzzling her gently. "And growing like weeds, every day... they'll be fine young ponies quite soon, I think. As for Raven, she's as magical as always! She helped me with my entrance, actually." He lets go of her at last, dropping down onto all fours, "And I? As well as to be expected, and just about ready for my trip to Moscolt."

"Ah yes, Moscolt... we are sorry to have to send you there, but our until-recently dependable intelligence network seems to have dried up, as in, no contact for nigh on three weeks now. We need you to see what happened and update us on what you find out about the unusual movements near the borders. I'm afraid you won't have much fun in Moscolt, will you?"

"I doubt it, but fun isn't why I do this job... I do it out of duty to my Princesses and my country." He smiles a bit. "But it's a couple of hours before we must part... tonight, can we just be Orion and Luna, the two best friends Equestria has ever seen?" He blinks, "Apart from any pair of the former Element bearers, that is."

"Of course, our dear friend!" Luna beams. "That was the reason we summoned you in the first place. We missed your visits as of late." She walked over to a table piled with sweet treats and a steaming pot of tea. "Will you join me? I do hear it's not a good thing to refuse an offer of tea, that's how wars start, you know."

Orion laughs and goes to join Luna at the table, "A war against you? Please... the changelings I have around home are nothing compared to your entire section of the royal guard." He pours his tea and takes a scone. "I missed you too, Luna... stargazing leaves something to be desired when I don't have their architect to discuss them with."

Luna pours the tea, blushing slightly. "There are very few that enjoy discussing the stars, aside from our sister's student, we would be hard pressed to name one other besides yourself." She levitates the teacup and take a sip. "We don't want you to feel that the stars are the only things we can talk about... we welcome dialogue on any subject."

 Orion takes a sip of his tea and smiles, "As I thought! Let us waste no more time. I notice you're adapting well to modern linguistics?"

"It has been a struggle and we do slip from time to time into the old Equestrian, especially when we are angry, but yes, we are adapting nicely. Thank you for your patience and for noticing." Luna nibbles on a tea cake.

Orion blushes a little bit, "You're welcome, of course... but I liked it when you used it. It's one of my favorite things about you." Then he realizes what he just said and whom he said it to, and his eyes get very wide.

"Then, perhaps, friend Orion, we shall speak like this to thee whenever thou comest for a visit?" Luna replied, a twinkle in her eye. "If it is pleasing to thee, then we shalt not deny thee thy pleasure." Luna stopped, and thought about what she had just said, and blushed a little harder. Taking a quick swallow of tea, she quickly said, "Dost thou really prefer the Old Equestrian language? We were told it seemed stuffy and outdated."

Orion laughs a bit, "Stuffy and outdated? Hardly... not when it's you saying it." He smiles again, "I don't know how to describe it... but coming from you, it sounds very... musical? Majestic?"

Luna smiles. "We thank thee, dear friend. Thou seems to hold an appreciation for things we hold most dear. And we do enjoy thy company, fleeting though it is." She took another sip of tea.

"And I enjoy yours, Luna... I am glad to call you my friend." They would continue talking for a while, until eventually Orion finishes his tea and his last scone, and bids Luna farewell before departing for Ponyville, to receive his latest crop of gadgets from R-Branch among other things.

Orion arrives home under the cover of darkness, and proceeds down the security hallway, dropping through the trapdoor in the phone booth onto the cushion below. He gets up and dusts himself off, going deeper into the control center. Even at this late hour it is filled with ponies.

J is busy making notes on a clipboard, in front of him on a table are an array of gadgets, some shiny and clearly different form anything ever seen before, others appear to be everyday items. "Ah, Orion! Almost ready to pack you off to Moscolt, just need to go through a few things first. Your credentials are almost done, just doing the final printing."

Orion smiles warmly, "Excellent news, J. And these?" He looks at the various gadgets on the table, "I see the fellows in the gadget branch have been busy."

"Yes, well, this was something of a rush job so we've been going practically non-stop since we learned of your imepnding mission. Let's go over a few things while we're waiting." Using his hooves, he gently picks up a small metallic tube with two buttons on it. "This is a magical field calibrator. Held in your magic, you can use it either offensively to pinpoint your magical energies on a precise point, or defensively to dispel any magical energies fired at you. It's kind of like a magic screwdriver, if you will." He points with his hoof to a small capsule. "That's your fogger - the chemical liquid inside, on impact, will expand enough to fill about three standard rooms or one large conference room - handy for covering your teleport to safety." "Now, for the more interesting side of things... look at the bell jar on the stand over there," J says, pointing to what seems to be an empty container.

Orion turns to look at the bell jar, head tilted curiously. "It's very nice... but empty. What's so important about it?"

J smiles and nudges a pair of eyeglasses toward Orion. They appear identical to the ones he's already wearing. "Put these on and look again."

Orion takes off his usual glasses and puts on the new pair, looking through the lenses as he normally would.

The word "HELLO" appears in the bell jar, connected by a tendril of magic to a unicorn sitting across the room. "The crew in Unicorn Sciences really outdid themselves," J said with obvious pride. "The glasses have been enchanted to reveal any type of concealed magical energy, or spells cast from a distance. Good for revealing hidden manipulative spells. Only thing they still won't detect is dark magic, too unstable to really get a focus on."

A pegasus in a lab coat flies in and drops a packet in front of J. "Ah, thank you Hermes," he says, as the pegasus smiles and flies away. "Your press credentials, passport, and contact information are in this envelope. Store the first two in your bags, and memorize and destroy the third. Our domestic contact will be looking for you at the open-air market the day after your arrival. You will greet him with 'I like your shoelaces.' His photo and the countersign he will give are in the packet."

"Excellent!" He takes the packet with magic and the various gadgets taking a special interest in the magic screwdriver and slipping it into the pocket of his jacket. "Right then... thank you J, I shall see you in a few weeks." He turns to go, making sure to write Raven a note explaining where he's going.

* * *

Some hours later, Orion's air-carriage had landed at Moscolt Central Airport. Retrieving his baggage at the claim area, Orion is met by a stunning unicorn mare. Her colorings are of a dark chestnut brown, and her mane flows about her shoulders. "Welcome to Moscolt, Mister Shade. I am Lede, your liaison from the Moscolt Workers' Press. Come, I will show you to your hotel so you can get settled." She smiles broadly.

"A pleasure to meet you Lede," says Orion, smiling to the mare. He adjusts his winter coat and trots with her out into the cold. "I've never been to Stalliongrad before... I hope I have time for sightseeing while i'm here!"

"I would be most happy to be your guide while you are here," Lede says, a seductive hint in her voice. She brushes past Virgo, tickling his side with her tail. "I'm sure I could show you something... interesting," she purred. "The hotel is not far, and the office is only a few blocks further to the north. I'm hoping you will be comfortable..."

"I'm sure I will," he says, looking down at the mare and smiling. "Especially with a mare as nice as you to show me around." He swishes his tail lightly, "Have you lived here all your life?"

"Da. I was born here, and studied journalism in Stalliongrad. When I finished school, I returned here, and have worked for the Press ever since." She sighed. "Only problem is, there's not much fun in Moscolt." She gazed at Virgo with a come-hither look. "Of course, fun is where you make it, da?"

"Indeed... come, let's go and have some fun together." Orion takes her hoof in his own.

Lede smiles and walks with Virgo to the hotel. After he's properly registered, Lede and a bell-pony escort Virgo to his room. "These are pretty standard rooms," Lede says as the door opens to reveal somewhat spartan accommodations. Inside the room is a bed, with a desk on the opposite wall. A large picture window is covered by a large set of drapes. A dresser and nightstand sit by the bed. In a smaller room was the bathroom, similarly not grand in appearance but functional.

"Comfortable though, I am sure." He places his bags down on the bed, "What should I know about my office, Lede? I assume it is well-stocked with everything I'll need?"

Lede tried hard not to laugh. "All offices, except for the editor, are community offices. There will be a group of us assigned to one space. You will have a desk and whatever else you require to do your job." She sultrily walked over to Virgo. "And, there will always be somepony available to help you," she said breathily. It was at the time that the bellpony set the bags down and made a hasty exit from the room.

Orion looks around now that they are alone, "Excellent. I believe I could use some right now, while I'm thinking of it. Could you lend a hoof?" He sits down on the bed, smiling to her.

"It would be my pleasure," Lede replied, sitting down close to Virgo. "Now then... tell me what I can help you with."

Unknown to Orion, his actions were being observed by a pair of yellow eyes that had suddenly appeared in place of the ones painted on the original portrait that hung innocently on the wall.

* * *

Lede continues her flirting, leaving Orion to deflect as gently as possible. The scene shifts back to Ponyville, where Raven can be found taking a good, long rest after getting the foals to school. The house seemed so much emptier without Orion home. She sighs sadly. She knew that what he was doing was for the good of all Equestria, but still... it meant he had to be away from her, and the family they had made together.

A zipping sound was heard, and as Raven looked around, she saw a zipper opening, and out stepped Discord. "Ah, my dear Lady Brownmane, always delightful to see you. And where is your intrepid husband, if I may ask?" he said, the waggling of his eyebrows indicating he knew more than he was willing to reveal, for now.

"Moscolt," Raven replies simply, looking around in surprise as Discord appears before her. "Why do you care? Are you as concerned with defense of the realm as he is?"

Appearing in a military-style uniform, the insignia showing the rank of a four-star general, Discord paced in front of Raven as he spoke. "The best offense is a strong defense. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself! Damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead!" Poofing back to his normal form, he appeared next to Raven. "Speaking of torpedoes, I have it on good authority that your husband's liaison is quite the destroyer... of happy homes." Snapping his fingers, he produces a photo of Orion and Lede, sitting close to each other on a hotel bed, seemingly gazing into each other's eyes. "Of course, this could be a completely different couple, mind you. I mean, photos can be wrong, can they not?"

Raven gapes, taking in the sight before her, not daring to believe it. "No, it's him... I know that cutie mark anywhere... but he wouldn't do that, ever! He promised me when we exchanged vows! He loves me, and tells me so every day!" She rounds on Discord. "But it can't be true! It just can't be!"

"The wife is always the last to know," Discord said, snapping his fingers and producing a box of tissues and chocolates. "Tragic really, seeing a happy family fall apart like this truly breaks my heart." He drops a glass heart on the floor, where it shatters. Sweeping up the pieces into a dustpan, his expression brightens. "However, I do think I have a way to settle this nasty business once and for all. That is, if you're up for it." Snapping his fingers again, the heart is reassembled, but darker in color this time. "All you need to do is come with me and we can work out the details. Whaddya say?"

Raven frowns, looking from the heart to the picture, then to Discord again. on one hoof, she didn't want to follow him. Orion was a good and noble pony, and she had come close to killing him not once, but twice. But on the other hoof, what if Discord was right? What if there was a side to him that nopony, even her, knew about? She couldn't take that chance. She grabs the heart, accidentally sweeping a photo of Orion off the bedside table and onto the floor with her tail. "Where do we start?"

Discord just grins, rubbing his claws together with glee.

* * *

Back in Moscolt's downtown area the next day, the open-air market bustled with activity as ponies of all sorts wandered through the stalls, checking the merchandise offered, and haggling over price. It was decent enough cover for back-alley dealings and clandestine rendezvous to take place. One pony in particular seemed to be searching for his reported contact. He was sure the instructions were clear, to meet him the day after he arrived. Selene was insistent that this agent was reliable, and Selene hadn't lied to him before.

Sure enough, Orion steps up to the proper pony, and accidentally on purpose bumps into him, "Sorry about that, I was thinking of my introductory paragraph... I like your shoelaces."

A blink, then the response. "Thank you, I stole them from Celestia." He glances around. "I am Ogier. Selene told me you would be here. I have been doing as she asked, trying to find out why the others disappeared."

"What have you found so far?" he casts a quick isolation spell on himself and Ogier, so they can talk in normal voices, but everypony else won't be able to hear them.

Ogier took note of the spell, and relaxed slightly. "There have been reports of rips. Rips in the very existence we know, and strange sights and sounds coming from within. There have even been reports of ponies meeting their counterparts from other worlds. Strange, and silly, I know. We are speculating that your predecessors might have stumbled into one of these rips and cannot make it back."

"Rips?" Orion raises an eyebrow at that, frowning slightly. "Counterparts? Now that -is- interesting... and impossible. Sounds like it's right up my alley." He adjusts his glasses, "Where was the last agent seen?"

"Not far from here. I can take you there now, if you'd like." An image flashed in front of Orion's eyes - that of himself, in female form - and just as quickly, it vanished. Ogier tapped Orion on the shoulder. "Mister Virgo? Are you okay?" he asked, worry etching his face.

Orion nods, stowing away the image for the moment to analyze later. Who -was- that mare? And were those bat wings? "Take me there, then please... I'll see what I can do."

Ogier nods, and leads Virgo down a set of narrow streets, and into a dead-end alley. "It was last reported here. There were reports of a scuffle, and loud noises, followed by dead silence." It all seemed normal enough ... no scarring on the walls or ground, nothing seeming out of place, the bat-winged female version of Orion - wait, was that really there? Ogier didn't seem to see anything. "There were no articles of clothing or other items left behind."

Orion stares at the mysterious bat mare... that cutie mark! It -was- him! He moves as if to speak to her, but when he blinks he doesn't see her at all. He makes sure he's wearing the magic revealing glasses, and takes out the magic screwdriver, using it to analyze for any traces of bizarre magic. "How long ago did this happen?"

"About two weeks ago," Ogier replied. "We were supposed to make contact as he said he had some more information on the rips ... the second agent vanished a day or so later investigating the first one's disappearance. Here," he said, retrieving a packet from inside his coat, "all the information we have up to their disappearance is here. Selene wasn't informed yet; they wanted more data before they presented a report."

Virgo takes the paper and looks it over carefully, reading the accounts of his fellow agents. "Third time lucky," he says to himself.

"Good luck, Virgo. If you need me again, I can be found selling potatoes in the market." He looks around. "I should go... it is time for work." He gives Orion a quick hug. "Send regards to Selene for me." He trots off to the market.

* * *

In the newspaper office, Orion is busily typing up a letter (disguised as an article and in code, no less) to Selene, typewriter clicking away as he works.

The door to the editor's office opens, and a tall earth pony strides toward Virgo's desk. "Ah, Virgo ... how are you settling in to our little worker's paradise?" he asks, stopping near to the desk, but not close enough to read what Virgo's typing.

Orion gives a smile to the editor, "Beautifully sir, thank you! You have quite a wonderful setup here, I almost wish the Manehattan Times was more like this!"

"I hope you are a better reporter than liar," the editor said with a laugh. "We will try to accommodate you as best we can. I look forward to seeing your articles - your references say you are one of the best at crafting stories."

"But of course! I'm an absolutely voracious reader." His true cutie mark was obscured, replaced with that of a typewriter, "But thank you, I do hope you like them. The one I'm writing now will be done sooner than you think!"

"Excellent! Put it on my desk once it's finished and I'll review it. And, welcome once again!" The editor strode back to his office, closing the door. After, Orion finishes the 'article' and sends it off to the mailroom.

* * *

Back at the palace, 'Selene' reads the report Orion had sent. Carefully, she scans the coded entry, her brow furrowing with each line read. "Surely this has all of the markings of Discord being involved ... we were concerned that he had been too quiet as of late."

"Oh widdle Woona, I should have known you'd be the one to sniff me out," says a voice in Luna's ear. Discord had arrived, summoned by the feeling of his ears burning. "You have a knack for tricks, twists, and turns, after all. You were Nightmare Moon once upon a time! Remember how much -fun- that was?" He grins widely.

"We have differing opinions of 'fun,' Discord. Now, pray tell us what deviltry thou hast been up to, and how many innocent ponies will be affected thereupon?" she said with an even voice and neutral disposition. "We suspect thou art involved in the shenanigans in Moscolt."

Discord laughs, rolling up and down in circles in midair as he does. "Involved? Oh Luna, it was my idea! Those rips? All part of the plan. There are whole universes beyond ours, just waiting to be discovered... and of course, taken over by yours truly." He pulls out Luna's abacus and begins doing some calculations. "How many innocent ponies will be affected? Oh such a loaded question.. nopony knows, not even me! But look at it this way... a world of your own to rule. A world where you are in control of the night, just like you -always- wanted. No Celestia, no Elements of Harmony, just you and your precious professor." He shows a picture of Orion and herself upon a hill, staring into each other's eyes. Orion has feathered wings, similar to Luna's.

"What - what trickery is this?" Luna exclaimed, staring at the picture. "How didst thou come into possession of such an image? We sat as friends and nothing more!" Her wings flared slightly and she fluffed the feathers. "We would not destroy the bonds between Orion and Raven in such a manner, and to suggest such is outlandish at best!" she walked deliberately over to Discord. "We learned full well during our exile that the night and day co-exist for a reason. We were foolish to attempt to make the night eternal! And we are quite content to rule with our sister over these lands!" She turned away and flopped down heavily on a cushion.

"Don't give me that," Discord replies, yawning. "Everypony can see how much he likes you, and how much you like him. Isn't it obvious? He has a crush on you! He -wants- you! But you're afraid of losing him, aren't you? I can fix that, you know, Make him immortal, just like you are. Queen Luna and King Orion, rulers of the night. Isn't that romantic?"

"It is insanity," Luna replied, "to think that we could just pop into another universe and be instantly adored." She thinks about Discord's words about Orion's feelings for her. " We are afraid of losing our dear friend, yes ... but how do we know what you say isn't more deception? He has a mare he loves deeply, two lovely foals ... we would dare not to interrupt or intrude on such marital bliss with our own selfish desires."

"What marital bliss? There hasn't exactly been a lot of that around, lately." He snaps a claw, "Raven, would you mind coming in please? Luna wants to see you!"

Raven enters, looking a lot worse for wear. Her eyes are glassy, and her coat has lost much of its vibrant color, now a dull version of what it once was. She bows to Luna, and says in a quiet, strained voice, "Hello, Your Highness, it's good to see you again. Has that cheating louse of a husband of mine broken your heart as well?"

Discord chuckles, "See what I mean, Luna? You're free to swoop in and take him, Raven won't mind." He tickles Raven's chin. "Will you, darling?" he asks in a bad imitation of Orion's voice.

Raven recoiled visibly at the sound of Orion's voice, badly mimicked as it was. "You want him? You can have him."

Luna was shocked that Raven could act this way. "This... this is troubling indeed. Pray, tell me what caused such hurt to thee, dear Raven?" Luna asked, studying the grayed-out mare carefully. "Is this the doings of the master deceiver?" she asked, casting a hard glare at Discord.

Raven shakes her head, "No... all of this is -his- fault!" She points at the picture of alicorn Orion. "I saw him cheating on me with another mare, as soon as he got to Moscolt! I bet he never loved me at all, the two-faced monster." She spits disdainfully. "I never want to see him again... ever."

Luna had to stop and clear her head. She knew, deep down, that Orion could never be unfaithful to his love... and yet, here she was, flinging charges of infidelity. "We... we need time to think about all that has transpired. Please, leave us now."

Raven nods, bowing mechanically. "Farewell, Princess." She departs, Discord following along in her wake.

* * *

In the depths of Moscolt, Orion lay alone in the darkness of his hotel room, tossing and turning in his bed as he dreamed... In his dream, he was trotting up toward his home, which looked as if it had been abandoned for decades... plants were growing through the gates and along the walls, through the windows and floors... he opens the door, listening to the rusted hinges creak.

Hoofsteps echoed through the deserted house, dust and cobwebs overtook most of the surfaces. "Well well ... wondered when you were ever gonna get back here," a familiar voice said, the tones ringing through the empty hallways. "I always knew you as being more punctual..." The outline of a pony can barely be made out int he dim light ahead, a familiar cowboy hat perched atop its head. "Well, I guess things can change over time, can't they, old friend?" Out into the brighter light stepped ... Longhaul? After all these years?

Orion blinks... that was a voice he hasn't heard in ages... he trots into the entrance hall, toward the pony... and smiled. "Longhaul... thank goodness... but... how can you be here? You died! I watched you kill yourself!"

Longhaul smiled a smile that, on him, seemed incredibly smug. "Don't ask me why I'm here, this is your mind after all ... perhaps conjuring up the familiar eases the fear of the unknown, or something like that. How would I know? I'm a freight hauler, not a philosopher ... or at least I was." He drummed a hoof on his chin, as if he was deep in thought. "Although, I could be something else entirely ... "

"A ghost?" he suggests, "My conscience? Who knows... I am glad to see you again though." He looks around his home idly, "Can't have been gone that long... this place looks like a proper wreck... where -is- everypony, for that matter? I thought for sure Raven would be here, waiting for me."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll be along shortly," Longhaul said with a chuckle. "In the meantime, I want you to do something you're extremely good at ... and think. Your home is wrecked ... it's dark and empty ... almost as if nopony really ... *lives* here anymore, am I right?" A brief flash of light flickered through Longhaul's eyes. "Sort of like everything you knew and loved is ... dead? Much like me?" Longhaul's image began to vaporize, swirling clouds of mist further obscuring Orion's vision, until, standing in front of Orion, a skeletal pony bearing a scythe. Two dots of yellow illuminated where the eye sockets were under the hood of the cloak the pony wore. "I claim everything in the end, my dear stallion ... although sometimes, we kill what we truly love without even realizing it ... "

Orion shivers as the form of one of his best friends dissolves into the form of Death itself... he backs away. "No... they can't be... -she- can't be! Tell me where she is! I don't want her to leave me!" He turns away and runs as fast as he can up the stairs to the master bedroom, bursting inside and looking around for some sign of his beloved. "Raven! I'm home! It's okay, you can come out now!" he shouts in a panicked voice.

"Run, run, as fast as you can ... " a singsong voice chided behind Orion. Death floated in on a gray cloud, his face morphing back into a depiction of Longhaul's, mainly for the purpose of displaying reactions and emotions. "You can't run from me, my dear Brownmane ... I will always catch you no matter where you go." Hopping off the cloud, the clacking of bony hooves on the floor, Death approached Orion. "Raven, Vincent ... everypony you knew and loved ... they no longer exist here. Not to say you killed them, not in the physical sense." An evil smile played across "Longhaul's" lips. "No ... you did much worse. You crushed their hearts. YOU destroyed this happy little home. And they were never quite the same, were they, Your Highness?" inquired Death of the lunar princess standing idly by, impassively watching the proceedings.

"Indeed, thou speakest the truth," Luna replied, mechanically and coldly. "Lady Raven was truly devastated by the breach of trust she had placed in thee ... as were we." Her eyes reflected the coldness in her voice. " 'Tis fitting that thou should return here to meet thy end."

Orion stares at Death, "I can't have done any of these things yet... are these visions of my future, visions that can be changed?!" At Luna's voice he turns to look, an expression of shock and betrayal at her cold tone. "Luna, you SENT me on this mission! Raven supported me in this, you know she did!" He begs to her, "Please... help me! I didn't mean to abandon you, any of you... why won't you believe me?!"

Death placed itself muzzle-to-muzzle with Orion. "Does this look like some kind of Hearth's Warming fable, you foalish colt?" it hissed. "You think you can wake up, bestow a feast upon the town, and all will be miraculously forgiven?" Death shook its head. "This is the future, all right ... damn pity you won't be around to share in it!"

"Aye, we did indeed send thee on a mission ... what we did not know, however, was that thou wouldst find thyself a harlot within moments of arriving!" thundered Luna's voice, only a few decibels lower than the Royal Canterlot Voice. "We were shown, and we did see with our own eyes. Lady Raven was devastated, never the same...as if a shade of her former self." Luna dropped her head. "We had faith in thee, and thou betrayed us .. now, face thy retribution." She turned and walked into the darkness.

Orion is beaten by the harshness of Luna's tone, falling to the floor with a thump. "LUNA! Please, come back to me, I can explain! I don't love Lede at all! PLEASE! LISTEN TO ME!" His voice echoes throughout the ruined manor, as he shakes and quivers in abject terror.

"She's not the one you have to explain things to," Death said, turning once again into a cloud of mist and dissipating, "and it's too late for sorries this time..."

Silence foilled the room. Shuffling hoofsteps, seemingly thousands of them, manifested from every side. Appearing in the doorway was Raven ... one of many Ravens, each one different in appearance due to sections of their heads being forcibly removed. "Why?" was the keening call as they swarmed in, surrounding Orion from all sides.

Orion gasps at the sight of his beloved, and all her clones... he tries to explain to all of them what went on, but can't hear himself over the chorus of whys. "Raven, please! Listen to me! Please! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, forgive me!"

The Ravens swarm over Orion, reaching hooves out ... and all fades to darkness.

* * *

Soft chamber music filters through the opulent sitting room, a fire crackles merrily in a nearby hearth. "Ooo, such unpleasantry ... no wonder I've never considered trying to get inside your head, Sir Brownmane ... or would you prefer Mister Shade?" Discord says, seated opposite Orion in an overstuffed chair in front of a table. On this table are an assortment of cucumber sandwiches and teacakes. "Some tea, sir?" he says, retrieving a capital "T" and pouring himself a hot beverage from it.

"I'm not thirsty," Orion says coldly, but he takes the tea anyway, making it just to his satisfaction, more for its healing properties than anything else. "Would I be correct in my deduction that you have something to do with this, Discord?" he asks as he stirs. "This seems like something you'd do... being the god of chaos and disharmony. This is what you do for fun, isn't it? Tear families apart?" He narrows his eyes, "I have no interest in Lede whatsoever... I was only pretending to maintain my cover."

"My goodness, aren't we the little heartbreaker? First Raven, and now poor little Lede ..." Discord says with a sardonic chuckle. He waves one of his paws .. or was it a hoof? "Oh relax, it's all part of the game ... stop taking everything so seriously. Why, I'm sure all will be forgiven and you'll be back in their good graces in no time." He picks up a sandwich and, tipping it like a teacup, takes a sip of tea. "Hm... not as good as that other fellow makes .. I must go visit him again once this is over," he mused. "Your family will be fine," Discord says with a snap of his fingers, his outfit changing to a typical male of the 1950s complete with pipe, Orion's fez replaced with a propeller beanie. "I'm all about family values, after all," he says puffing the pipe and creating pink-smoke-filled bubbles, which pop into cotton candy clouds.

"The game?" He raises an eyebrow. "What sort of game is it when you spread lies about me to the ponies I love? Family Feud?" He ignores the transformation of his hat for now, he didn't really like beanies much. He sips his tea once more, and when the cup was empty would make himself another one. This was a three cup problem.

"I'm just trying to make this whole spy adventure more interesting," Discord sobbed, having transformed yet again into a typical 1950s housewife, complete with string of pearls around his neck and the day dress with apron. "You never appreciate what I do for you!" His crocodile tears splashed to the ground, turning into miniature crocodiles.

After a moment of faux-sobbing, the scene reverted back to the sitting room, Discord looking as normal as he possibly could and everything back to how it was. "I wish to simply study different relationships, and this was the perfect way to do so. But, I also wanted to see what would happen if I changed the dynamic ever so slightly." He took a bite of his teacup. "I think I found my answer."

"Slightly?" Orion's tea cup shakes in his magical grip as he struggles to hold in his pent-up fury. "You call giving me a nightmare about my best friend and the love of my life abandoning and attacking me respectively, sowing doubt about my intentions and the depth of my love for her, ever so slightly changing the dynamic?!"

His voice rises as he gets more and more upset, and eventually the cup goes smashing against the nearest wall, the liquid inside trickling to the ground. He glares at Discord, a terrible fire in his green eyes. "You vicious, heartless, cruel monster!" he shouts. "You DARE try to take away what's important to me?! I would rather fight you to the death! I have faced changeling queens and changeling kings, stood up to the tidal wave of discontented nobles in an ill-timed coup against the crown, I have risked my life to protect my country, and why?! BECAUSE THEN, MY FAMILY WOULD BE SAFE!" Sparks fly from his horn. "I WILL GET MY FRIENDS BACK, OR DIE TRYING! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!"

Discord's expression remains neutral, almost bored. " ... Try to help somepony, and see what it gets you. Very well, Mister Spy, we shall meet again. But first, you need to wake up." A snap of his fingers and the scene dissolves as Orion awakens in his bed in Moscolt.

* * *

Orion jerks awake, his body covered in cold sweat from the earlier nightmare, and his mind filled with a rage he hadn't known since... he shuddered to think, since Storm. Only this time, he didn't have Luna to help him. He throws off his covers and slides out of bed, trotting outside and down the hall to take a walk. He needed to relieve stress.

Walking the opposite way in the hallway, the mysterious mare that Orion had seen before passes him. She turns and smiles as she walks, then stops. "You look familiar to me, sir," she says with what sounds like a Trottingham accent. "Have we met before?"

Orion jumps, and looks up at the sound of the voice, and the mare it belonged to... he stared at her, stunned. That voice, so very like his own...yet female. The fur was the same, the mane and tail were the same color... even their cutie marks were similar. But the thing that surprised him most were the bat wings folded up against her sides. "No..." he says at last. "But I've seen you before... out of the corner of my eye... who are you?"

"I'm Carrie," she replied, "and yet it feels like I already know what your name is for some reason. I must ask the Princess about this when I return to school." She glanced at him quizzically. "Out of curiosity, what is your name?"

"Orion," he says at last, " Orion... or Brownmane. Either one..." He offers the mare a hoof, "It's very nice to meet you... if a bit peculiar... you remind me a lot of myself, actually. Literally." He looks to her wings again, "Do those work?"

"Why wouldn't they?" she said, giving them a couple of quick flaps. She glances at Orion's sides. "Hey, where are your wings?" The sun rise outside starts to filter in from the drapes covering the window. "By Luna's beard, what is that brightness?" She shades her eyes, of which the pupils have constricted like those of a cat's.

"I don't have any wings!" he states, looking around in surprise, "Why do you?" He wonders why her eyes suddenly have a feline look about them, "That brightness? It's the sun... what else could it be? Haven't you ever seen a sunrise, Carrie?"

"S-sun? What is this 'sun' you are referring to? We've never covered that in school ... uh oh, there's that feeling again. I think I have to go for now. We will meet again, Orion, and I will ask Princess Luna what a 'sun' is." As quickly as she appeared, she blinked out of existence.

* * *

Orion stands there, about to shout "Come back!" when he realizes he'd look rather stupid, and so continues on his way instead, going to find breakfast. "That was very weird... she's pretty though, I'll give her that..." he mumbles as he goes.

"Mister Shade?" the desk clerk calls out as Orion passes. "Mister Shade, we have something for you." He retrieves a large envelope from under the counter. "It arrived yesterday while you were out, I guess the night clerk didn't catch you to pass it along."

Orion looks over as his assumed name is called, and smiles to the desk clerk, taking the envelope in his magic, "Thank you sir... I'll be sure to read it over breakfast." He inspects the envelope, wondering where it had come from.

The front is marked as a normal letter, but on the back is a series of circles and lines, seemingly meaningless to most ponies. Those that know the language, however, can see that it clearly says, "Most Urgent, Immediate Attention. -Selene".

Orion gasps and canters quickly to the nearest empty room and opens the letter, reading hurriedly and wishing he'd gotten this sooner. The design continues on the inside, looking more like abstract art than a missive of highest importance. The message reads: "Agent Virgo, we fear the mission has become too twisted. Sources report Big D is involved. Use caution when dealing with natives. You are loved. Reply soonest. Selene"

Orion breathes a sigh of relief at the words 'You are loved...' so Discord hadn't gotten to her yet. Abandoning breakfast he teleports back up to his room, gets his quill, ink, and parchment, and settles in to write in the same code language Selene had used. His message reads: "Selene: Just got your message this AM. Nightmare last night involving you, Blackbird and Death itself. I fear it is an omen. Big D spoke, he must be at the center of all this. Rips appear to lead into alternate worlds... I met a bat-winged mare with a strong resemblance to myself. More soon, can return home if need be. -Virgo." He folds it up and sends it on its way.

From a painting on the wall, a portrait of another long-dead pony, two yellow eyes watch Orion's every move. "Soon, my little spy," a voice says softly, inaudible to all but the speaker, "I will have my answer. Sleep well..."

* * *

Reports of strange activities were becoming increasingly common in Moscolt. Ponies were reporting "tears" in reality itself, exposing different worlds populated with different creatures. There was even one report of a world with sentient monkey-like beings that walked upright! Orion was kept busy as a reporter being assigned to cover the latest report of paranormal activity, and as Luna/Selene's agent, collecting as much data as he could to send back to Canterlot.

It was a very tired Orion that finally managed to trudge back to his hotel room after another long day. As he flopped onto his bed, he heard a familiar voice: "I was beginning to think you had stood me up ... but, knowing me, you were just working too hard." Carrie smirked from a nearby chair.

Orion looked up at the familiar voice, and smiles at the bat pony mare, chuckling a little. "It's been a very odd few days... I've seen a lot of strange worlds. There was one with creatures called humans, one where ponies were wolves, even one where King Sombra was good, and the Royal Sisters were villains... I didn't see yours though."

"I had asked Luna about that when I was in her class the other night. She seems to think that it's because our worlds are so similar, and connected somehow, that the rift cannot be seen." She rises and stretches out her wings. "We're similar, and yet so different. I asked Luna about sunrises, and instead got a lecture about how her sister Celestia was banished from our world. If I had to speculate, I'd say that Princess Celestia is in control in this world?"

"Sort of... she and Luna rule together here, but for about a thousand years, Luna was banished to the moon for trying to bring about everlasting night, and came back as Nightmare Moon... the Elements of Harmony restored her to normal, and she rejoined her sister as ruler of Equestria." He takes in Carrie's appearance, noting her wings. "Do all ponies in your Equestria have wings?"

Carrie shrugs. "I've seen unicorns without wings and I've seen pegasi without horns. Those are pretty rare, though." She once again studies Orion. "I think you'd look cute with wings," she says with a smile. "So, the sisters once again rule together here? And I'd heard something similar about elements and harmony, but it was always dismissed as an old mare's tale." She starts to think, then quickly shakes her head. "But, perhaps my biggest question is, what's a sunrise? Is that when your daystar appears in the sky, or is it something different? It is nice to see that you still have night, it's much easier on my eyes."

He blushes at the compliment, envisioning himself with wings like Carrie's, and at that question nods. "It's whn our daystar appears in the sky, yes... every year on June 21st, we have what's called the Summer Sun Celebration to celebrate the longest day of the year." He checks his watch, "But as it's 11:30... we won't have that for another several hours yet." He smiles back at the mare, getting off of bed and trotting closer to her, taking her hoof in his own, "I like you, Carrie Shadow... you're so much like me, but different." He looks thoughtful. "Do you know any pony named Raven?"

Now, it's Carrie's turn to blush. "I don't know that name, but there is Robin, my special somepony. He's an absolute delight, very affectionate, and so good with the foals! I could never continue in Princess Luna's School for Gifted Unicorns if it weren't for him." She gets a sly grin on her face. "Say, you wanted to fly around with me, yes? Make you a deal - I'll fly you around if you'll let me see the sunrise later on."

He shakes the hoof, "Deal." He opens the window magically, then climbs carefully onto her back, careful not to put too much pressure on the mare's wings, "So... Robin, huh? What kind of pony is he? How did you meet?"

"I'll tell you when we're airborne," Carrie replies. "Now, hold on snugly, and ... here we go!" She pushes off with her legs and gives her leathery wings a few good, hard flaps. Soon enough, the two of them are soaring over the rooftops of the city below, starlight twinkling above, the city lights below.

"Robin and I met kinda by chance," Carrie explained. "He was a show magician heading to Canterlot, and we shared seats on the train as I was heading up to school. We talked for the whole ride, and afterwards we went out for sodas ... we kept seeing each other after that, and one day he asked if I'd be his special somepony. Took me completely by surprise, because I was planning to ask him that same night!" She laughed as she did a loop in the air, then looked back at Orion. "Enjoying the ride?" she asked.

Orion d'awwws at the tale, noting how similar Robin sounded to his own Raven, and looking down at the sight of Stalliongrad at night, "Oh I am, Carrie, thank you... you fly so well! I'll admit, I'm jealous! There have been moments during my adventures where I wished I had a good pair of wings... there is a spell that produces butterfly ones, but they're temporary and very difficult to cast, anyway."

"Yeah, they really come through in a pinch. They're also good when you can't catch a cab." She flew them just out of town and settled down on top of a hill. "This should be a good spot to view a sunrise, yes?"

"The perfect place!" He climbs off Carrie and sits beside her, waiting. "It's almost time... see? You can already see the sky starting to light up!"

Carrie watches with amazement as the sky begins to light up, turning the inly backness to a riot of colors. Greens, reds, oranges, all mixing and brightening, until at last, the sun's disc begins to poke up over the horizon. Carrie blinks, not being used to the light, her eyes misting over as well. "It's... beautiful," she says softly. "I wish we could see this in our world." The sky behind begins to turn a shade of blue while the orange of the newly-risen sun gets brighter, eventually becoming white in appearance. "I think we should get back, it's getting tough to see for me," Carrie said, her pupils narrowing to thin vertical slits.

 Orion watches, fascinated as the mare's eyes turn to ones like a cat... he nods, turning away from the sight and, for a moment, nuzzling her cheek. "Thank you for this Carrie, it was wonderful..." He thinks of a question as he climbs onto her back. "I don't suppose you'd be able to give me wings like yours, for a little while?"

"I know there's a spell for that, but I'd have to research it back home," she said, pushing off the ground and flapping her wings. Together they soared through the early morning sky, returning to Orion's hotel room. "Thank you for the sunrise," she said, giving him a small peck on the cheek. I think you're gonna need your sleep now, you look positively exhausted."

Orion laughs, blushing at the peck. "I will... thank you Carrie, I hope to see you again soon." Giving her one last hug, he trots back inside to get some sleep, still amazed at what had just happened.

"You'll see me again," she replied. "And I have some things to think about, too. Sleep well, Orion." Carrie walked down the hall, vanishing at the very end.

As Orion is trying to sleep, a persistent knocking raps at his door. Orion opens the door, looking very annoyed and absolutely worn out. "Yes?"

Standing at the door is Discord, wearing a bellhop's outfit. "Knock-out call, sir," he says, snapping his fingers. Everything goes completely black.

* * *

When Orion awakens, he finds himself strapped to a stainless-steel table, slightly elevated at the head. A small red dot is being projected just below his rear hooves by what appears to be a giant laser device.

"My, you must have been exhausted," Discord says, stepping into view. He is wearing a plain black business suit with a carnation pinned to his lapel. "That knockout spell should have only lasted an hour or two - I was growing quite bored." He steps closer to Orion. "Sampling the nightlife? Wine, fillies, and song? I didn't think there was that much fun in Moscolt," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

Orion awakes with a nasty headache, nodding to Discord's words, "Oh I was, yes... exhausted. Lots of work sampling parallel universes... this is the first real sleep I've had all week. Thanks for the nap." He meets the draconequus' eyes. "Well, it is when you know the right ponies. Carrie's a sweet mare, reminds me of myself after a fashion."

"And since she's your doppelgänger, technically, it's not cheating, right?" Discord said, his face dispassionate. "Anyway, enough of delving into your love life. I suspect you know that I've figured out who you work for and why you're here right now."

"Do you expect me to talk?" He raises an eyebrow sardonically.

"No, Mister Shade, I expect you to think!" Discord replied, with an extremely poor accent. Another snap of his fingers and Orion finds himself in a darkened room, torches being the only source of light. In front of him are four doors. Piles of debris are strewn about haphazardly.

"Hidden somewhere in this darkened expanse is a key," Discord's voice echoed through the chamber. "That key will open only one door. That door leads to our next test, and possibly a certain somepony you were getting cozy with upon your arrival. I'd hurry, the longer you take, the smaller the search area becomes. Don't disappoint me, now..." The voice trailed off into a sinister laugh.

"I won't!" He dives into the pile of debris and begins to root around, looking for a key. Was it plain? Fancy? Some combination of the two? He hoped it was a nice color, at least. "Come on, a key... hurry up now, no dawdling..."

An ominous rumbling sound fills the chamber. The shifting of debris can be heard as the back wall begins its slow, torturous push forward, pushing the debris in front of it.

"Discord, that is not helping!" He keeps searching, going as fast as he can. "Come on, now!"

"What, you thought I was going to make this easy for you?" Discord's voice rumbled over the din. The debris becomes like a wave, pushing ahead of the wall. Suddenly, a glimmer of metal appears from the crest of the junk wave. The key! The crest starts to tumble over.

Orion grabs the key in his magic and slides it into the door nearest him, and turns it! The lock doesn't turn. What does happen is the wall starts to speed up.

"Oopsie, forgot to tell you ... each wrong guess speeds up your impending demise. Oh, it's fun being the bad guy..." says the disembodied voice of Discord.

"AAAAAARGH!" Orion yells, forcing his sleep-deprived brain to work harder as he tries the next door. The tumblers click and the wall stops moving. The door swings open noiselessly, revealing a pure white room, brightly lit. Dangling from the ceiling, tied to a golden string, is a key.

Discord, appearing as Toad, runs up to Orion/Virgo. "Thank you Virgo! But, your princess is in another castle!" He snaps his fingers and disappears. "Okay, you've proven you can find and use a key. Now, my dear Virgo, your next task is to find the door. I promise you, this will have you going in circles. Your prize awaits at the conclusion of this test."

"So very helpful..." He rolls his eyes, taking the key and potentially the string down with it, and begins trotting around the room, running his fore hooves along the wall, searching for a gap or depression. The floor begins to tilt, moving slowly enough to make one realize that the entire room is starting to spin. There are no holds or blocks to stop the inevitable slide.

"Round and round we go, where we stop .. depends on you finding the keyhole before you'll need wings to keep from being dashed against the walls." More evil laughter rings through the room, which is starting to slowly accelerate. A small patch of black can be seen on the ceiling, or what once was the ceiling and is now becoming the floor.

"Wish I had some right now!" he calls out, diving for the patch of black. "Geronimoooooooo!"

A loud "thud" echoes through the stark-white room. Next to Orion, on the floor, is the keyhole, which is about to once again become the ceiling. He reaches out with his magic and sends the key flying toward the black space instead, "I really could have planned that better!"

With an audible "click," the room stops spinning. It also, however, reverts back to its original starting position, dumping Orion to the floor with a resounding "splat." A panel slides open along a wall, where Lede's voice rings out, "Mister Shade! Please help! HURRY!"

Orion canters over to the panel, "I'm coming, Miss Lede!" He crawls through it, assuming he could, to wherever Lede was. Suspended by a chain above a huge kettle of an angry, boiling liquid, Lede struggles against her bonds, to no avail. "Mister Shade! He's threatening to boil me in oil! You must get me out of here!" she screams, as the chain lowers slowly toward the hellbroth below.

Orion gets an idea. thinking quickly, he takes out his magic screwdriver and presses one of two buttons, feeding his own magic into it. A blue laser shoots from the tip of the screwdriver and toward Lede's chains, hoping to free her from her bonds, "When you feel the chains loosening around you, jump toward me! I'll catch you!"

Lede nods, frantically trying to lift her hooves and tail from the kettle rapidly approaching her backside. Bubbles break on the surface of the liquid. When she feels the chains loosen, she pushes off and falls toward Orion!

Orion opens out his forelegs and catches the mare as she falls toward him, "Very good! You've done it!"

"Oh, how charming," says a voice approaching from the far end of the room. It's Discord, dressed in an all-grey suit, the jacket zipped all the way up and buttoned tight around the collar. He's bald, with a scar running down the right side of his face near his right eye. "Oh sure, the hero gets all of the cool toys, but I can't even get a shark with a laser beam on its head? I mean, throw me a bone here!" He walks toward Orion and Lede. "Well, Mister Shade, it seems you still have some challenges to face, but I will grant you safe passage back to your hotel for ... " He raises a pinky to the right corner of his mouth. "One HUNDRED BILLION BITS!" He gives a playful smirk.

Orion rolls his eyes, "And I suppose you'll want me to present you with, I dunno, the blueprints for a horseshoephone?" He shakes his head, "Send her back, she has no quarrel with you, Discord. I want her kept safe. As for me?" He stares Discord right in the eyes. "I'll take whatever you can throw it me. Look at me! I've got no plan, no backup, no weapons worth a damn, oh, and something else I don't have: anything to lose! So! While you're sitting up there in your silly little secret lair with your silly little chaos magic, and you've got any plans on taking Equestria tonight... just remember who's standing in your way. Because I'm not afraid of you."

Another snap of the fingers and Orion finds himself standing in some kind of futuristic hallway, dressed in a reddish tunic with dark slacks. A small metallic badge is pinned over the left side of his chest. Discord stands next to him, dressed in similar fashion. "Always taking the dramatic route, are we, mon capitan? Very well then ... the trials will continue." A door slides open and Orion is roughly shoved inside.

The floor is black, with yellow grid lines forming a series of smal squares. In the center of the room is a pedestal, upon which sits a red button. "Your objective is simple. Cross the room and push the button to advance." A pause. "Actually, that's too simple." Random squares vanish, revealing bright light below. "The squares will change at random intervals. Lose your floor and lose your life."

"Oh good, a big red button... I love a big red button. Nice tunic, by the way. Very Star Trot." He steps onto the first few squares, hopping when needed. Almost as if on cue, the squares shifted, all except for a seemingly straight path directly to the button. Orion rolls his eyes, "You have got to be kidding." He avoids the straight path, deciding to take a longer route.

Squares blink in and out of existence, yet the single path remains each time. A glance down below reveals a series of spinning blades, similar to a shredding machine. "If I step onto that path, are you going to shred me to death?" asks Orion to nopony in particular, continuing on his way. Nopony replies. The button is drawing closer.

He sighs and eventually reaches the button. Extending a forehoof, he presses it down as hard and as quickly as he can. The floor once again becomes solid, and a loud hiss announces the opening of two giant doors. "Always have to do things the hard way, eh? Well, never mind... you've reached the final boss level of our little game."

Ahead is a giant room, larger than all of the others Orion had passed through. Seated on a raised platform is Discord, in his normal-for-him appearance. Squads of henchponies move around flipping levers and twisting dials. Viewers show locations of recently opened rifts in the current reality. "Welcome to the nerve center, Virgo Shade ... or do you prefer Sir Brownmane, it's tough to keep track these days..."

"Just call me Orion, Discord... everypony else does." He watches the rifts, recognizing a few of them. "Aren't you afraid that doing all this will cause a collapse so large, that every single possible reality would merge with another, creating a paradox so enormous that the multiverse would be destroyed?"

"Small detail," Discord replied flippantly, waving a hand. "This is partly why we keep them from materializing so close to each other. I also found this lovely little dimension where certain gemstones can be activated with the power of chaos to do wonderful things. Like prevent total multiversal collapse." He pointed to an area where seven differently-colored gemstones rested on small pylons, each gem giving off power which was being funneled off into the larger machines. "But, you're really not here to chat, are you?"

"I'd say you require additional pylons, and no, I'm not." He narrows his eyes. "I'm here to stop you from taking over the world, then go home, where my wife and foals are. Any questions?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact ... what makes you think that your wife is at home?" A door opens to reveal Raven, bound to a pillar, a gag in her mouth. She looks like she's been through the worst period of her life, her eyes red and puffy. "Anything you'd care to say, Raven?" Discord asked, removing the gag.

After a gasping breath, Raven said, "I'm sorry, Orion! Luna let me know the truth! I'm sorry I ever doubted you or trusted this... this thing!" She cast an acid gaze at Discord. "He says I'm your final quest, whatever that means. But whatever happens, I love you, my darling!" Her eyes started welling up with tears again, and she blinked them away.

"Hold on, Raven! I'm coming to get you! I love you too!" His mind briefly casts back to the nightmare he'd had, and shivers... then he turns a fiery gaze at Discord, magic screwdriver held in hoof. "Let her go, Discord. Now."

"Au contraire, mon frere," Discord replied, holding a hand up. "You see, this is your final quest, the saving of the damsel and all that. But, I am curious ... which damsel will you save?" A door opposite where Raven was opened to reveal Luna, her horn bound with a magic damper, sitting defiant despite being bound with what appeared to be special bindings. "We should have left thee turned to stone, foul villain!" She said, her Royal Canterlot Voice at about 75% volume.

"Now, begins the test. You can only save one or the other, and I should inform you that thanks to some incredible work by little old me, your dear princess is just as vulnerable as your darling wife. So I wonder which one will leave with you before the whole shebang here goes kerplooey in about ... " He looked at his left arm, which was covered in watches of different varieties, before pulling a pocket watch from a hidden pocket on his person. "Five minutes. Starting now." And, just as abruptly, Discord vanished, as a giant clock replaced the images on the viewscreens, beginning the final countdown.

Orion stares at the two mares as he is faced with an impossible choice... who does he pick? One is the mare he pledged to spend the rest of his life with, the other his best friend in the whole world... "Carrie, wherever you are... help me..." he says weakly, before closing his eyes, sighing deeply, and gritting his teeth. He had to make the choice now. "Luna... forgive me." And he begins to walk toward Raven, magic screwdriver out.

"I thought I heard you call me, Orion," Carrie said from behind him. "You go to the one you love, and I will take care of the princess." She galloped off toward Luna, fierce determination on her face.

"Thy choice is noble, my dear friend. No ill will shall pass from us," Luna called out, marveling at the female doppelgänger of Orion. The clock counted down past the three-minute mark.

Orion begins working furiously to free Raven from her bonds, "You and I, we're going to go right home after this... and we're going to be a family. You, me, and our wonderful foals... I love you more than life itself, you know." As he works, he kisses her on the cheek.

Once her bonds were released, Raven threw her hooves around Orion and she kissed him passionately. "I love you, my husband," she whispered, nuzzling him along the neck.

"The princess is free! Hurry, we're running out of time!" called Carrie, riding on the back of the lunar princess.

The clock, in true Discordian fashion, began to count faster. As the display turned to all zeros, a series of explosions rang out, shattering the pillars and throwing debris and shrapnel around the room. Luna cast a shield spell to protect herself and Carrie as they quickly made their way to the exit. Raven let out a gasp. A piece of shrapnel had pierced her chest, causing her to cough up blood as she moved with Orion to the exit.

"RAVEN!" His eyes wide and terrified, he looks quickly at Luna, frozen to the spot. "Luna, help us! She's hurt!" he yells desperately.

Luna races over to Orion and Raven, and her horn begins to glow bright. "The damage is too severe. We can only make her comfortable now. We are sorry, my friend." A tear fills Luna's eye. Carrie turns away, thinking how she would feel if the roles were reversed.

Raven struggles to speak. "O-orion ... my l-love...w-w-where are you?" she says, reaching a hoof out.

"I'm here..." Orion whispers, holding Raven close to himself, as if afraid to drop her. "I always will be... I promise." He gives her another kiss on the cheek, holding her hoof tightly.

"Y-y-you must ... must care for th-the foals...be s-s-strong for them...I w-w-will love...you always, m-my...my beloved..." Raven managed to say before her eyes closed, her body going limp.

Carrie let out a gasping sob, clinging to Luna as the two sat and observed the final exchange.

Orion keeps holding his magical mystery mare, limp though she is. He begins to cry. Softly at first, then louder as his body is racked with sobs. After a while he calms down as best he can, laying Raven down gently. "Where is Discord?" he asks, in a deceptively calm, if choked, voice. "I need to find him. And then I need to kill him, with every ounce of strength I possess... he will -pay- for taking Raven from me!"

Luna and Carrie rush to Orion's side. "Nay, friend ... Discord will pay, but not at thy hooves. We give thee our highest word, he shall pay for his misdeeds." She lifted Orion's muzzle to hers with her wing. "Let not the blackness possess thy soul, Orion. Draw on our strength to fight the impulses. We will stand with thee, now and forever."

"Vengeance isn't like you, Orion ... trust me, I should know," Carrie said, draping a wing over Orion. "I know you enough to know that if the situation were reversed, you would be telling me the same thing. I can be here whenever you like, all you need to do is say my name. My Luna will make sure of it." Carrie smiled at the princess. "It's good to have friends in high places. Both ponies wrap Orion in a tight hug.

Orion hugs them both tightly back, before finally turning to Raven's body. "Let's go home, Luna... we can do no more here." Sighing heavily, he uses magic to lift Raven onto his back, unnerved at how cold she already felt.

* * *

The chapel at the palace was overflowing with ponies, all coming to pay their last respects to Raven Brownmane, wife of Sir Orion Shadow, who passed away suddenly due to a tragic accident. All of which was true, by the way, nopony really needed to know who the root cause of said accident was. Princess Luna stood to officiate the ceremony, wearing her finest royal regalia.

 Orion is in the very front row, dressed in a black waistcoat, a dark purple shirt, and a black bow tie with dark purple polka dots, all to match Raven's mane colors. Beside him are his and Raven's foals, wearing similar outfits. All three are wearing rather morose expressions.

A carpet of dark purple flowers is draped over the casket containing Raven's body, the top half opened to show Raven at peace, almost as if in a deep slumber that she could be roused from at any time. Candles burned at both ends of the casket, and light smoke from a nearby censer drifted lazily toward the roof of the chapel, perfuming the air.

Princess Luna stepped to the lectern. "Today, we grieve with the Brownmane family, and while we mourn the passing of Lady Raven, we also celebrate the joy and love she brought to so many," she said, sweeping her hooves out in acknowledgement of the crowd. "We take solace in knowing that as she loved us, so did we love her. She was a fine mother, instilling good values on her foals, and setting them on a bright path to a bright future."

In the back of the chapel, away from everypony else, a veiled figure sat quietly, listening to every word.

"We would ask Sir Brownmane to step forward and say a few words at this time." Princess Luna stepped away from the lectern, awaiting Orion's approach.

 Orion rises, his hooves making a loud clacking sound, or so it seemed to him as he made his way up. He cleared his throat, straightened his bow tie, and began to speak. "We met in an odd way... most of you don't know this, but Blackclaw, who led a crime gang in Manehattan, snagged her into his web and told her to kill me... needless to say, she fell in love with me instead."

He smiles a little at the memory, looking down at the coffin, "I hope you don't mind me telling that story, love... I'll never forget it." His eyes go glassy. "Seems a shame it has to end like this... Till death do us part, and all that... stupid expression. I've always believed love transcends death. Love is the most powerful force in the universe, it can do anything it wants." He blows her a kiss, smiling a sad, mournful smile. "Sleep tight, magical mystery mare... we'll meet again, somewhere in time." Then he turns and steps down, resuming his seat.

Princess Luna once again stepped to the lectern. "The family has requested that the committal ceremony be private. At this time, we would ask that all gathered come forth and pay their final respects."

A long line of ponies filed past the bier, some openly weeping, others staying as stoic as possible, each saying goodbye in their own way. The veiled figure was the last to approach as the rest of the mourners filed out of the chapel. Dropping her veil, Carrie looked at Orion. "Very beautiful. You had never told me how you two met." She smiled a sad smile. "You holding up okay?"

He nods, looking to his female doppelgänger, "As best I can... having you and Luna there has certainly helped." He smiles a little. "How about that spell I asked about, last time? Any luck?"

Carrie nods. "All set and ready for you. Whenever you'd like to use it. I'll leave it with your Luna as well, just as a backup. You can cast it yourself just by following this," she said, hoofing over a small piece of parchment. She leaned in and hugged Orion. "Remember, just call, okay?" she said, tears in her eyes.

 Orion takes it, wrapping it up neatly and putting it into a pocket of his waistcoat, then hugs her back. "I'll call, I promise. Thank you Carrie... for everything." At last the chapel is empty. "Want to join us at the committal ceremony?"

"I'd be honored," Carrie said.

It was a somber ride back to Ponyville, toward Brownmane Manor. Orion and the foals, Princess Luna, and Carrie occupied one car of the special train, the other car contained Raven's casket. A hearse would be waiting to undertake the final transport.

Standing around the freshly-dug gravesite, a simple tombstone engraved with Raven's name, cutie mark, and dates of birth and death at the head, Princesas Luna spoke solemnly. "We bid farewell to our wife, mother, and friend, Raven. May her journeys be free from burden and her peace be with us all, now and forever until the end of days."

As the casket was slowly lowered, Princess Celestia, from the palace in Canterlot, began to dip the sun below the horizon on pre-arranged magical signal from her sister. Carrie blinked a few times - sunsets were even more beautiful, she thought to herself, damn shame she had to see one lkike this. Once the casket was safely in place, the gathering returned to the house, the last rays of the waning sun giving way to night.

As the moon rises, Orion can be found sitting on the balcony, staring up at the moon as he always did, telescope by his side. But he wasn't looking through it. Instead, he held Carrie's spell in his hoof, reading it carefully until he was sure he had memorized it.

Luna and Carrie approached Orion. "Bit for your thoughts?" Carrie asked.

Orion chuckles, "I was hoping you two turned up... I want to give that spell a try." He climbs to his hooves. "I was hoping to show Raven... I'm sure she's looking on us now, though." His horn starts to glow. "Care to join me for a flight?"

"We would be honored," Luna said, Carrie nodding in agreement. The alicorn and the winged unicorn prepared their wings for takeoff.

Horn sparking, a glow surrounds Orion's back as two wings, and the associated joints and musculature, form on either side... they were, of course, batwings, and looked just like Carrie's. He gives them a few test flaps. "That tickles," he says at last, rising into the air a bit. "Okay... here goes. I jump, right? And the wings will catch me?"

"Just a slight hop as you flap downward will lift you up, keep flapping downward to gain altitude. We'll be here to catch yoiu if you have any trouble," Carrie said. Luna was already hovering nearby.

 Orion nods, flapping down and hopping up at once. He rises, and keeps flapping downward to gain altitude, "Now what?"

"Think of it like swimming, only using your wings to push you through the air," Carrie said, flapping near to Orion. "Just keep moving them and let the skin do most of the work to propel you."

Luna smiled watching Orion take flight. "Thou seems to be a natural at this, my friend."

Orion blushes as he falls into an easy pattern, "Thanks... I've watched how Carrie does it." He smiles back at the two. "I am so, so glad to have friends like you... I hope we'll be together for a long time." Then he pushes off into the nighttime sky, his two friends following along behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this story, several important things happen: Orion meets his first alternate counterpart, who lives in an Equestria where it was Celestia who got sent to the moon. Every pony in her world has bat wings, because bat ponies are cool. Also, Raven dies. It sucks, but it’s necessary for Orion's development.


	6. The Elements of Unity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still shaken by Raven's sudden death, Orion throws himself into his work for the Crown. His next mission is in Carrie's universe, where he must seek the mysterious Elements of Unity. Based upon the Season 1 premier, "Friendship is Magic."

On a quiet hillside lit by the moon, a bat-winged grey unicorn mare sat with a book. She opened it to a seemingly random page, and began to read aloud to herself. "Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together, and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest used her alicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn; the younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all the different types of ponies.

But as time went on, the elder sister became resentful. The ponies relished and played in the night her younger sister brought forth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful day. One fateful day, the older alicorn refused to lower the sun to make way for the night. The younger sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the old one's heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of evil: Solar Flare.

She vowed that she would shroud the land in everlasting day. Reluctantly, the younger sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponydom: the Elements of Unity. Using the magic of the Elements of Unity, she defeated her older sister, and banished her permanently in the sun. The younger sister took on responsibility for the moon, and used her magic to allow the world to flourish beneath its light. Harmony has been maintained in Equestria for generations since."

"... It has been prophesied that 'the hands of time will carry her from her prison,' after a thousand years of exile in her solar prison. " Carrie closed the book and looked at Orion. "That will coincide with the Eternal Night Celebration happening in a couple of days! This might be our chance to reunite the royal sisters once again!"

"The hands of time, huh?" Orion smirks amusedly. "I guess that means us two." Then he rises to his hooves, magically adjusting his bow tie. "We should let our Lunas know... Robin too, while I'm thinking about it. He has every right to know, being your husband and all!"

Carrie nods. "Yes, your Luna might have some insights as to what we could do,and I will speak to mine once again. She seems fairly receptive to reuniting with her sister, but is unsure how to go about it. " She pauses. "This will be your first time in our world. How do you feel about that?"

Orion smiles, giving his alternate self a warm hug, "I've been looking forward to this for ages! I've always wanted to visit another universe... no time like the present!"

Carrie hugs back just as warmly. "Okay, we'll meet again tomorrow and from there we can journey back to my world." She releases the hug and bounces in place excitedly. "I can't believe this is going to really happen! You, visiting our universe!" She collects herself, and gathers her things. "I will go and start the preparations. See you tomorrow!"

"Until tomorrow, Carrie!" He grins at her, then walks back toward Shadowfall Manor.

Princess Luna listened to Orion's story, nodding once in a while. When he had finished, she thought for a moment before speaking. "I would counsel thee, dear Orion, to tread carefully in this matter. We remember how we felt upon our release from the bonds of the moon, and we fear that our sister's counterpart may harbor such feelings as well. Art thou comfortable that this can be achieved, as comfortable as thy counterpart is?"

 Orion nods solemnly toward Luna, draining his teacup afterward, "I am, Luna. Assuming the historical pattern in our world will hold true for theirs, I see no reason why Solar Flare cannot become Princess Celestia again, with the help of the Elements of Unity." A thought hits him, "The question is, whom shall bear them when the time comes? Carrie's bool said there were six... would we need to find six bearers, or only 2 or 3?"

"Perhaps my counterpart would be better asked that question, dear friend," Luna replied. "If the elements are similar to those on our world, it would matter not how they are carried, but by whom. We theorize it would be possible for an outworlder such as yourself to wield the elements, though we stress this is merely a theory." Setting her teacup aside, Luna looks directly at Orion. "Art thou certain that thou can traverse the portal safely... and return such as well?"

 Orion nods once more, "Carrie has explained the portal and the magic behind it in perfect detail... though of course, theory and practice are two different things. But if she can do it, why can't I?" He rises to his hooves, giving Luna a warm hug, "I'll be okay. You're not going to lose me quite yet."

Luna hugs Orion tightly. "We would hope not. We wish you safe travels and the best of luck in thy endeavors. Please advise our counterpart that we would love to meet her some day. We believe our sister would feel the same toward her counterpart." Luna notes the clock on the wall. "The hour grows late. Thou needs rest, and we will need to raise the moon."

 Orion lets go of the moon princess, horn flaring to life as he casts his flight spell, "I'll see you... when I see you. I'm given to understand time moves differently in Carrie's world in comparison to ours. Be well!" Flapping his bat wings, he takes off through the open window, and back toward Ponyville.

Hours pass, and the next day Orion finds himself standing with Carrie near the portal to her universe. "Princess Luna is quite interested to meet you. It has been quite a long time since she interacted with a 'day pony,' as she put it. She's also hopeful that we can succeed." She nods to the portal. "So ... ready to venture to the land of eternal night?"

 Orion takes Carrie's hoof in his own, and grins. "Geronimo!" Then, he dives with her straight into the portal, as if he were entering a swimming pool!

* * *

After a few seconds, although to Orion it seemed like an eternity, the pair are once again in Equestria... a very dark Equestria. The moon hangs in the sky, providing the only illumination to the darkened streets. Ponies wander about, going about their business. Many of them have leathery wings, either by nature or magic, as there seem to be less obstructions in flight than on the ground.

Carrie smiles slightly to Orion. "Welcome to my home."

Orion smiles back, nuzzling Carrie gently on the cheek, "It's so... dark! And yet beautiful in its own way." He looks around, noting how similar this place seemed to his Ponyville, "Which way to your house?"

"We're not far," she said, flapping her wings. "It's easier if you fly. Besides, I want to see if the spell works on you in this universe, too."

"I hope so!" He lights his horn, and sure enough his bat wings coalesce into existence with little trouble. Beaming, he flaps his own wings and takes to the air beside Carrie. "Lead the way!"

"Here we go .. try to keep up!" Carrie teased, flying ahead of Orion. In a few minutes they were in front of ... an almost-perfect replica of Shadowfall Manor, the main difference being it seemed smaller and less vibrant in the darkness. Carrie opened the door and stepped inside. "Welcome to La Casa de Carrie," she said. "Please, make yourself at home."

"It looks like a smaller version of my home," he comments, trotting inside after her and folding his wings up. The smell of baking cookies would hit their nostrils, it seemed somepony was baking!

A purple earth pony stallion with a black and purple mane and tail and bright pink eyes wanders into the room, his own wings folded up. Robin smiles and kisses his wife gently on the cheek, "So that's the stallion you've been telling me so much about! Nice to meet you, Orion! My name is Robin Shadow."

Orion is almost taken aback at the sight of him, realizing this was Raven's counterpart... he shakes Robin's hoof slowly. "The pleasure is all mine... thank you for having me."

Carrie sniffs the air hungrily. "Oh, sweetie, you made your famous snickerdoodles!" Turning to Orion, she says, "He only makes those for special occasions. You should feel honored." She smiles and peeks into the sitting room. "And it seems Robin also set up for tea. Well, I guess we can't keep the tea and cookies waiting, now can we?"

"We certainly can't!" Orion says happily, going to the sitting room and flopping down on the armchair near the fireplace, more by habit than anything else. The paintings on the walls featured members of Carrie's family, specifically her father Byzantium Flare, her son Melodiam, and daughter Violet.

Robin follows them into the room, a plate of freshly baked snicker doodles resting on his back, which he places on the coffee table to join the tea, before sitting on the couch beside his wife. "Carrie, would you like to do the blessing this time?" he asks her.

Carrie bows her head, and joins hooves with Orion and Robin. "O Luna, guardian of the eternal night, protector of all ponies big and small, bless us and this food we are about to receive. May it strengthen us in body and spirit. This we ask in your name." She opens her eyes. "Let's eat!" As Carrie is passing around the tray of cookies, she asks Orion, "So, what advice did your Luna have for you?"

"She wants me to tread carefully," Orion explains, taking a cookie with magic. "She remembers how it felt to be Nightmare Moon, and fears that Solar Flare will have similar emotions." He dips his cookie into his tea before biting into it, and immediately the reason why the snickerdoodles are so special becomes clear to him: the sugar and cinnamon melt in his mouth, spreading across his tongue and sending a warm, tingling sensation over his body, from the tips of his ears to the ends of his hooves. "Oh my word... Robin, these are beautiful!"

Robin grins, taking a bite of his own cookie, "You bet they are! I have to make the dough ahead of time so they remain as chewy and soft as possible!"

Carrie beams, taking a bite of her still-warm and soft cookie. "Now you see one of the reasons I married him," she says, looking lovingly at Robin. "Of course, being crazy in love with him helped, too." A knock came at the door, and Robin excused himself to answer it. "How bad was it when ... Nightmare Moon, you called her?... returned to your world?" Carrie continued.

"Very... She incapacitated Celestia and delayed the rising of the sun, on the day of the Summer Sun Celebration no less, plunging the land into everlasting night, like it is here. Twilight Sparkle and her friends found the Elements of Harmony, and together they restored Princess Luna to her true self, banishing the darkness forever. Princess Celestia returned, and the two have been ruling together ever since."

"An interesting tale, good sir," said a very regal-sounding voice. "I am hopeful that we can arrive at an equally-peaceful solution as well." Princess Luna stepped into the room. Her mane and cutie mark were purple in color instead of the rich blues of her other-universe twin. Her shoes and chestplate were of a lighter blue. "Sir Orion Shadow, I presume? I am Princess Luna. It is an honor to make your acquaintance."

"And yours, your majesty," Orion says with a smile, bowing before her, then offering a hoof. "My Luna sends her regards, and the wish that she might meet you someday."

Luna smiles, and touches Orion's hoof gently. "I would like that. From what Carrie has told me of your world, it seems we are a lot alike in some ways. With that in mind, I would ask you if you are truly certain you want to assist us in this matter. I fear this will not be an easy task, although my faithful student Carrie is convinced that this could be the time I finally get my sister back."

 Orion gives Luna 2 a beaming smile. "Princess, it would be my honor to help return your sister to you. I feel it is my duty." He then salutes her crisply. "Nothing is ever easy, but with the help of Carrie and yourself, I'm sure we'll all rise to the occasion."

Luna 2 smiles and bows to Orion. "I gratefully accept your offer of assistance, good sir. The Eternal Night Celebration will begin in a few hours from now, at which time we will see if the prophecy will be fulfilled. In the meantime, may I join you for tea? I can also answer any questions that may arise, about this or just about our world in general."

"Certainly!" He floats over a cushion, then retakes the armchair. "These Elements of Unity Carrie mentioned... there are six of them, but what are their names?"

"The Elements of Unity are Fairness, Openness, Truth, Justice, Love, and all are bound together by Magic. The elements are carried in pairs - Openness and Truth, Fairness and Justice, and Love and Magic. When my sister and I ruled together, we carried three each, and used them to defeat Ennui, the god of boredom." Luna 2 sipped her tea and nibbled a cookie. "Mister Robin, I must get the recipe for these divine cookies!" she said with a smile.

Robin winks, "Family secret, Princess. But I suppose I can share it with you. Just don't let any pony else see it!" Meanwhile, Orion gives an agreeable nod, "So... six elements, carried in pairs... me, Carrie, and you, I'm supposing?"

"I feel it would be prudent if I could attend," Luna 2 said. "I believe I could reason with her, and offer better defense against any magic she might attempt to use against you. While I do not doubt my student's magical abilities, I am not certain how your magic would function in our universe. It is not a lack of trust, sir."

Orion nods, "Understandable, Princess. My bat wing spell worked perfectly, but as its originator is a native of this universe, I'm not entirely surprised. Spells originating from my universe might function differently... if at all." He taps his chin thoughtfully with a forehoof. "I can sense a difference in the ambient magical field surrounding the planet... though it's instinctual. The exact specifics are unknown to me. Though I would guess that a thousand years of everlasting night has something to do with it."

"Perhaps his magic is only half as effective," Carrie hypothesized, "because his world depends on both sun and moon. Since here only the moon shines, his spells would only have half of their effectiveness."

"A very wise hypothesis, Carrie," Luna 2 replied. "Would that best sum up what you feel, Sir Orion?"

 Orion nods, "Put in those terms, yes... let's see if the theory holds." On cue his horn starts to glow, and he tries to transform Carrie's fur color to a light green.

"It would seem your hypothesis is correct, Carrie," Luna said. "I will count that as extra credit for your studies." She turned to Orion. "If you were to cast a defensive spell, the power would only be half what it would be in your world, or would not manifest correctly at all."

As Carrie is about to say something, slight strands of yellow weave their way into the blue, creating light green streaks though her coat. Carrie blinks. "Is it me, or are things getting brighter all of a sudden?" Items in the room become more distinct, and a faint glow permeates through a part in the curtains on the picture window.

"I don't think it's just you..." Orion springs to his hooves and goes to the window, pulling one of the curtains aside with his hoof. Parting the curtains, the occupants of the room saw something nopony had seen in this world for at least a thousand years ... the coming dawn. Oranges, reds, yellow, and some greens were visible in the eastern sky, casting a dim light upon the darkened landscape. Ponies stopped what they were doing and stared at the strange phenomenon, excited and frightened murmurs rippling through the crowds.

Back at Carrie's house, Luna 2 deadpans, "It appears my sister is coming for a visit after all. Carrie, Sir Orion ... please come with me. We must prepare." She rises and starts to walk out of the room. "Oh, and Robin ... you will have that cookie recipe to me by the end of the day today. Don't make me issue a royal decree," she said, grinning.

Robin grins back, clearing away the food and storing them away for later, "Yes ma'am!" Orion follows Luna 2 back out, ready to fly. "Nightmare Moon and the Element bearers had their final battle in the Everfree forest, a dark and spooky place where the clouds move on their own, and is filled with monstrous creatures... what is this world's equivalent?"

"The Elements are kept in our old castle in the Everlight Forest," Luna 2 replied. With a mightly flap of her wings, Luna 2 is airborne, Carrie by her side. "Come, we must hurry!" The group flies toward the only bright spot in the entire world, its true brilliance obscured by a thick fog bank surrounding its perimeter.

Breaking through the fog, the light was almost blinding after being in the dark for so long. Luna's eyes had narrowed to tiny vertical slits, with Carrie periodically blinking and shielding her eyes. "Follow me down!" Luna 2 commanded, angling her wings to descend toward the ruins of an old castle.

Orion is of course more used to the light, but even this was too much for him. He squints, not trusting his magic at the moment, and darts down after Luna toward the castle ruins, wings flapping.

A peal of laughter rings out through the castle, a sinster laugh. The group follows the sound to the old throne room. The brightness is nearly overwhelming as the form of a pure-white alicorn stands on the dais between the two thrones.

"You are too late, dear sister," the alicorn taunted. "I have returned to take my rightful place as the ruler of this land. And this time, the day will last - FOREVER!" She laughed once again, her chrome helmet gleaming in the reflected light. "From this day forward, all shall bow before and praise - SOLAR FLARE!”

Orion stares bravely up at Solar Flare, unafraid. "We will never bow to you! Your reign of terror will end before it can ever begin, this I can promise! We will find a way to purify you, and the darkness in your heart will be purged!" He looks back to Carrie and Luna 2, "Let's go… we need to find a hiding place!"

"Quickly! Come to me!" Luna 2 commanded, mtrioning Orion and Carrie closer to her. With a blinding flash, the three were teleported into the middle of a forest. Standing in a clearing, the trio blinked as the light flooded their eyes.

"What do we do now, Princess?" Carrie asked, clearly frightened. "I was hoping there was a chance for reconciliation, but it seems Princess Cel-err, Solar Flare has other designs."

"We have to find the Elements of Unity," Orion says decisively. "Which means we have to split up if we want to find them all at once… in my world, the Elements of Harmony took the form of stone spheres. Theoretically, the Elements of Unity should look similar.

"The Elements of Unity are kept in a tower back in the castle. They have not been used since that cursed day, when I was forced to banish my sister. We will need to make our way through the castle and up to the tower, all the while avoiding whatever traps Solar Flare has laid for us."

Carrie had calmed down considerably, and now appeared resolute. "I still believe it's possible to free her from the evil that has overtaken her. Whatever you ask of me, Princess, I shall do."

"As shall I," Orion agrees, bowing his head. Luna 2 nods, "Very well… I shall take the southernmost entrance to the castle. My student, you shall take the western entrance. Sir Orion, you will have the eastern." Orion nods, "As you wish!" And he goes off toward that part of the castle, with Carrie moving off to her section.

Luna 2 approached the southern entrance to the castle. Nopony really knew about this entry, with the general public being directed to the northern entrance. The southern entrance, however, was a direct route to the inner workings of the castle itself, used by palace staff, guardsponies, and the royals themselves. Luna 2 used her magic to open the door, its hinges creaking slightly. Cautiously, she stepped inside.

A sinister laugh echoed through the stone hallway. Luna 2 was unfazed. Solar Flare appeared before her in a brilliant flash of light. "Oh, my dear sister ... why can't you accept that you cannot win this fight and bow before your new ruler?" Solar Flare pratically purred.

"Because I know that -my- Celestia, the one I love more than anything, would -not- dare to try and dethrone me," Luna 2 exclaims, stomping a hoof on the ground. "We are not meant to rule alone… for it is far better to rule together. You taught me that, Tia."

"And yet, you sent me away. Banished me for a thousand years on my beloved sun. And worse yet - you allowed our subjects to forget about me!" Solar Flare punctuated this with a blast from her horn, aimed at Luna 2's hooves. "You had the power, Lulu ... you could have ended me once and for all. Instead, you banished me, gave me a window to return. Why would you do that, knowing full well I would have killed you had our roles been reversed?"

"Because I love you, you insufferable clotheshorse!" Luna 2 shouts. "I couldn't stand seeing you banished… it was the biggest mistake I ever made." Two of the Elements, Justice and Openness, roll toward her as she speaks. "I would much prefer to be your sister than your killer. You would have felt the same way about me, I am sure."

Solar Flare reaches out and strokes under Luna 2's chin with a wingtip. "You were always a soft touch, Lulu ... We'll see if it does you any good this time." Her voice took a sinister tone. "Now, if you'll pardon me, I have to visit your other little friends." She vanishes as quickly as she appeared, her laughter echoing through the halls.

Orion enters the eastern section of the castle, his hooves trotting loudly against the ruined cobblestone as he goes. If Solar Flare was as bad as Nightmare Moon, and it certainly seemed that way, he was in a lot of trouble.

"And what have we here?" a silky voice said, before the form of Solar Flare appeared before him. "Were they so desperate for help they had to call an otherworlder to vanquish me?" She strode over to Orion and stared at him, trying to read him and divine his true nature. "This battle is of no concern to you, whoever you are. So, I ask you, why are you willingly throwing yourself into the middle of it?"

"Because it's what I do," Orion says simply. "It is what's fair. I have done this in my Equestria, and I shall do it here as well." The fairness sphere rolls toward him. "This world is unbalanced. By restoring you to your true self, and allowing you to retake the throne along side your sister, that balance is restored."

Truth rolls toward him. "I am not afraid of you, Solar Flare! I've seen things you wouldn't believe! I have lost things you will never understand! And I know things, secrets that must never be told, knowledge that must never be spoken! So how can I be afraid of you, when compared to everything else I've seen and done, you are tiny?"

Solar Flare gives Orion a poke in the chest with her horn. "Perhaps we should see just how tiny a hole I can make in your heart, hmm?" She grins, her sharp teeth flashing brightly, her eyes narrowing. "Do not underestimate me, otherworlder. Perhaps in your world it's all pink fluffy unicorns dancing on rainbows, but that's a long way from here. You'd do well to remember that. You still have a chance to depart. I'd suggest you take it before you really get hurt." She strides away, fading from view before disappearing entirely.

Carrie winds her way through the eastern half of the castle, deciding to fly rather than walk. Her pupils are mere slits, compensating for the brightness. Elsewhere, Luna 2 and Orion are heading for the tower as quickly as they can, their new elements at their sides.

Carrie's path is blocked quite suddenly by Solar. "Going somewhere, little one?" she asks, her teeth glinting in the light. She strode toward Carrie. "I do believe you are the one that warned of my return. And now, you seek to reunite me with my beloved sister." She practically spat the last two words. "Quite the little busybody, aren't you?"

"As the student of Princess Luna, I felt it necessary to inform her of any threats to the safety of the realm," Carrie replies, her wings flicking slightly. "That includes you. The day cannot last forever, and neither can the night… there must be equilibrium!"

Solar laughed. "And you think you can stop me from taking over? How quaint. Let's just see how good a fighter you are, then!" Her horn flared and a brilliant beam shot toward Carrie.

Carrie's horn begins to glow and she conjures up a similar beam! It meets Celestia's in mid-air, pushing against it.

Solar is stunned at first, but quickly compensates. "I'm impressed ... seems little Lulu picked her student well. But what would you do if I were to do ... THIS?" With a flick of her head, she directed her magic beam at the approaching Orion and Luna 2, knocking them both to the cobblestone floor.

"No!" Carrie shouts, distracted. She runs over to the two ponies and tries to wake them up, as the Love and Magic spheres find their way toward her.

"How touching. I shall remember this scene," Solar says wtih a laugh, as Carrie works to rouse Orion and Luna 2. Both of them slowly come around, shaking their heads, before standing shakily with Carrie before her. "The time for fun is over, however. Now, it is time to end this!" She advances toward the trio, her horn starting to glow.

"Everypony, link hooves! Now!" Orion shouts, as he recovers. Carrie and Luna 2 both join hooves, with the winged unicorn in the center. Their respective Element spheres float into the air, orbiting around them. Carrie speaks, her voice echoing off the stone walls. "We are friends, brought together by the powers of Fairness and Truth! Of Openness and Justice! Of Love and Magic! These six things are important even on their own, but brought together, are the cornerstones upon which all pony kind has been built! They will endure, even after we, the Bearers, have passed on!" Their eyes glow white as they lift into the air. The spheres change, becoming a pocket watch necklace for Orion, an ornate chest plate for Luna 2, and a tiara for Carrie. Then they say in unison, "By the power of the Elements of Unity, we restore you to your proper self, and banish the dark forces for the rest of eternity!" Then a jet of pure rainbow light flows from the transformed Elements and toward Solar Flare.

"Wha-NO!" Solar tries to back away, but is quickly enveloped by the rainbow light. She kicks her hooves fruitlessly as the multicolored bands wrap themselves around her, swirling faster and glowing brighter. A final scream echoes through the stone halls, and the room fills with light, pure and blinding.

As the light fades, the three Bearers lay motionless on the floor. Luna 2 is the first to recover, looking around as the first rays of a new sunrise appear in the eastern sky. Her eyes are drawn to a white figure laying on the floor, her mane a light pastel pink with streaks of pastel greens and blues. She is devoid of any armour, a small golden tiara and matching breastplate her main adornments, along with golden shoes on her hooves. Her cutie mark, that of the sun, stands out against her coat. "Sister," a weak voice croaks from the white alicorn, "y-you have freed me…."

"But I did not do it alone," Luna says with a smile, giving the white alicorn a warm hug. "I had friends." Carrie and Orion stir next, going to stand near Celestia. "Behold… Carrie Shadow and  Orion." The two unicorns bow.

Tears shimmer in Celestia's eyes. "Thank you ... you have freed me from the darkness that bound my soul, and turned me against my beloved sister. I am in your debt." Celestia bows humbly, then wraps Orion and Carrie in a big hug. "And now, I believe I have a lot of catching up to do with my dear Luna." She wraps Luna 2 in an even bigger hug, nuzzling her affectionately.

Carrie smiles broadly. "We were glad to be of assistance, Princess Celestia. And we will always be in your service should you need us."

Orion nods, rising from his bow and smiling back. "I shall inform my Luna of the good news… it is time I returned to my world, now." He hugs every pony, smiling to them all. "Oh! Princess Luna… I have to ask. Do you know of any spells that allow communication with spirits of the dead?"

"Yes, there is such a spell ... however, it can only be used by those that shepherd the departed from the mortal plane. I can provide a copy of the spell, if your Luna has this duty she can easily perform it for you." With a small 'pop,' a scroll materializes in front of Orion. "We hope to see you again, Sir Orion. Perhaps you could ask our counterparts if they would like to visit? Perhaps they could help us, having gone through reunification."

"I will ask them," Orion replies, taking the scroll with a thankful nod. His horn starts to glow as he prepares the departure spell, "I'm sure you'll be seeing us all again! Goodbye for now!" And in a flash of magical light, he is gone, with only his Element necklace giving any sign that he had been there at all.

 Orion approached Raven's gravesite, his magic holding aloft the scroll Luna 2 had given him just before he departed their world. He shivered slightly, not with cold, but anticipation. If all went well, tonight would be the night he heard his beloved's voice ever since her death.

The soft flapping of wings and the gentle thunk of hooves heralded the arrival of Princess Luna. She slowly made her way over to Raven's gravesite. "Greetings, Orion. Why hast thou summoned us here this night?" she asked, curious.

"To give you this," Orion replies, hoofing over the scroll to his best friend. "I asked your other self about it before I left... we should go visit there, sometime soon. I think you'd like it there."

Luna levitates the scroll in front of her and studies it carefully. "It appears to be a simple communing spell ... we will have no difficulty casting this spell, but we are concerned that it may not work in this realm. We are willing to try, for thy sake." She reads further. "This spell may only be cast once per year, if we read this correctly. Since we are the one that guides the departed, we are the only one that can perform the spell. We are ready if thou art." Luna takes a deep breath and awaits Orion's answer.

Orion nods solemnly, "I am ready, Luna... I suppose I have been, ever since the committal ceremony."

Luna nods. "Take our hoof in thine, and remain still." She closes her eyes as she feels Orion's hoof in hers, and her orn glows a brilliant violet. "Orci aeterni planum communicare qui derelicti sunt quaerunt. Exaudi nos vocare egressus tuum nos uti iterum," she intones as the wind whips up into a frenzy around them. Leaves rustle angrily, and nightfowl take to the air, their hoots and calls echoing through the night. Opeing her eyes, Luna says, "We gather to speak to the spirit of Raven Brownmane. Come forth, dear Raven, and greet thy husband and friends."

A shimmering apparition appears over the grave. It is Raven, in a more ethereal form, her mane and tail flowing in unfelt breezes.

Orion opens his eyes and stares into the face of his beloved, as it should be, alive. "It's you... it's really you! The spell worked!" Smiling, he throws his forelegs around her neck in a hug, only to find they passed through... he ohs. "I should have expected that... hello, my love. Did you miss me?"

Raven looks confused at first, but upon seeing Orion, her expression turns into one of joy. "I do miss you, my dear one," she says with a slight giggle at Orion's attempt to hug a spectre. "It gets quite lonely at times, but I know I will be with you once again. I could advance to that day, as time is immaterial here, but I prefer to remain here, watching you and the foals." She turns sad. "I do wish you'd find some companionship, I worry about you."

 Orion blushes a little, looking toward Luna, "Well... you might say she's closer at hoof than you'd first assume... I don't entirely know what to call it. We've kissed, but I would hesitate to say we're lovers... but we -are- a couple. Not that the press knows, thank goodness..."

Chuckling softly, Raven grins. "Well, I can definitely say that you've traded up. And if you'd been worried about what I might think, then let me assure you that I have no objections to this. I want you to be happy, Orion, and I know that when your time comes, we can once again be united, and I will love you no less than I do now."

"And neither will I," he says a with a smile, nuzzling Luna's cheek happily afterwards. "Oh my Raven... you are a wondrous mare, and I still consider myself the luckiest pony alive to have married you."

"You darn well better or I'll haunt you every waking moment of every day," Raven teased, a playful expression on her face. "Orion ... I knew that from the first moment I saw you I wanted to spend my entire life with you." She chuckled wryly. "Of course, I never expected it to be so short." Raven's image starts to fade. "Um ... I think our time is almost up ... Orion, take care of the foals, and Princess Luna ... take care of Orion." She smiles sadly, her image fading fast.

"Fare thee well, dear Raven ... we shall see thee again," Luna said, her eyes shining in the moonlight.

"Until next year!" Orion shouts, waving a hoof. Once the image of her has fully faded away, he gives Luna the tightest, longest hug he can manage, shivering again, this time from tears.

Luna hugs back, blinking tears of her own away. After a moment, she says, "We hope this has helped heal thy wounded spirit. Try as we might, some wounds even we cannot completely salve."

Orion smiles once he's recovered, and kisses Luna on the nose, "It was the most wonderful thing you've ever done for me, Luna... thank you. I want to do this every year, as long as I live... Carrie can join us. And when I die... at least this way, we'll still be able to talk."

"We shall honor thy request," Luna replies, "and we are intrigued about thy offer to visit the other world..." The two start to walk back to the house, as leaves swirl around in a gentle breeze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is basically our take on FIM’s pilot episodes, though of course, tied in with the current mini-arc. I’m highly amused that we also managed to guess Daybreaker, though we don’t call her that, as when we wrote it she hadn’t been invented yet. Part pf Orion’s big speech to Solar Flare is lifted from “The Rings of Akhaten,” and I find it appropriate, given both stories involve vengeful suns, or in our case, avatars of the sun.


End file.
